


The Threesome of the Moon, the Sun, and the Earth

by Serendipintea



Series: Max is Stiles Stilinski [3]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Au to Season 1, Au to the whole series, F/M, Female Stiles Stilinski, Fluff, Maczysz Stilinski is Stiles Stilinski, Multi, Not Beta Read, Rule 63, Werewolf Stiles Stilinski, actually, more tags to add later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-10-28 23:42:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20787002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serendipintea/pseuds/Serendipintea
Summary: “Tell me the story about how the sun loved the moon so much he died every night to let her breathe.”“So you’re saying the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth should have been in a threesome?” her snort of amusement turned into a hum of thought.“Maybe a polyamorous relationship, threesome indicates it only happens every so often. They all clearly need one another, it’s only logical to assume they’re meant to be together.” Peter did not expect his night to end up discussing the love lives of the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth, especially not with a serious tone to it."The Sun could feel her peaceful soul and it soon became clear. He would die each and every night to let his true love breathe, for it would put an end to all her misery.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, here it is, another Maczysz Stilinski story with a twist!

“Hey, Mr. Werewolf, can you kindly get off my rock?” Peter Hale turned around in alarm and curiosity at what kind of creature it was that could sneak up on him, let alone one that knew what he was. He was both impressed and annoyed at the seventeen year old girl that stared at him with an unimpressed scowl, clearly unbothered by his nakedness and the half of his body covered in scars. She was attractive, he supposes, her moon glow skin was littered with freckles and moles that were the definition of beauty marks. She, however, was too thin with black eyes and bags that told him she was often a victim of many sleepless nights. “Fine, then move over or just kill me.” an interesting attitude that only intrigued him more when she didn’t flinch from his snarl. 

“You know about the supernatural?” she didn’t look at him when she sat on the edge of the rock, letting her legs dangle. 

“I just watched you go from a six foot demonized wolf to human in the blink of an eye, mythology is pretty blunt about what kinds of things can do that.” he couldn’t tell whether he liked her or not, especially not with how flippant she was with the current situation. “As it is you’re kind of intruding on my suicide rock.” 

“Suicide rock?”  _ that _ earned him her muted whiskey gold gaze and a wave of Sandalwood and pine that wasn’t from the forest. 

“I come here when I want to die, been coming here since I was eleven. I think about taking a nosedive then I see this-” she motioned with one hand to the city twinkling in the distance before shoving it back into her hoodie pockets. “Kind of puts my troubles into perspective of how small my shit actually is.” she sighed heavily and fell back, legs still dangling dangerously off the edge. “Then I look up at the sky and talk.” she grinned hollowly and looked back up at the full moon. She wasn’t dead yet and he seemed intrigued enough to not kill her, yet. “There’s this story about the Moon my mother used to tell me.” 

“Interesting.” His tone told her he was lying but he was sitting down anyway, not at all perturbed about his nakedness either. 

“Tell me the story about how the sun loved the moon so much he died every night to let her breathe.” He was still there, but not to Max. To her she was six, sitting in her mothers lap in their backyard as they looked up at the night sky together. “There once was a moon, as beautiful as can be, only the stars could fathom, but the sun could not see. The sun so radiant, he burns so bright. The moon so luminous, but only showed her face during the night.” she didn’t know it but her hand had reached up as if to hold the moon, a frown on her face even though she held her strange guests attention avidly. “She was untouchable, surrounding herself with a blanket of darkness. The sun would give anything to catch a glimpse of the Moon illuminating the beautiful night sky. Until one day when the Sun was sliding out of the heavens, he caught a glimpse of her. She was peeking up, a rare side of her being exposed to the light. And while the Sun could shine, he knew the Moon could glow.

“Just as the Stars were wandering into the night, the Sun fell in love like a snowball hurtling down a mountain. How he wished to see her more than the fleeting moments he shared with her at both dawn and dusk. But they were a world apart.” just like her and her mother, never to see one another again despite how much she wished it were possible. “‘Go,’ she whispered to him one of those nights, her voice as sweet and sorrowful as the last light of morning. ‘Go and let me breathe, for you and I have decided fates. You illuminate the day, and I cast a glow on the night. We will never be.” He did not remark on the tear that had fallen out of her eye, did not interrupt her even though her sorrow was like cinnamon in the clearing until it was practically burning. He wondered, faintly, who this strange creature was thinking of while reciting the story. “ ‘Our connection would go against what all the people believe, all they know.’ During the summer he would stay a little longer just in case she would change her mind. It was no use.

‘Don’t you dare abandon your blessing of light for my darkness. And those were the last words the Moon was strong enough to speak to the Sun. The Sun could feel her peaceful soul and it soon became clear. He would die each and every night to let his true love breathe, for it would put an end to all her misery.” the silence after that hung in the air until her hand clasped over the moon and released, falling back to her stomach. “Personally, I think the story is a load of bullshit. The Earth is never talked about and both clearly affect it and are  _ affected  _ by it. The sun heats the earth, the moon reflects the light of the sun and affects our tides, our souls, the supernatural-” she glanced partially at his pensive expression before returning her gaze to the sky, curious as to why he was still there and actually listening to her. “- and then they line up and meet in solar and lunar eclipses.” 

“So you’re saying the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth should have been in a threesome?” her snort of amusement turned into a humm of thought. 

“Maybe a polyamorous relationship, threesome indicates it only happens every so often. They all clearly need one another, it’s only logical to assume they’re meant to be together.” Peter did not expect his night to end up discussing the love lives of the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth, especially not with a serious tone to it. Still, this human was interesting and, if she was as desperate for a place to fit in as he thought she was by the look of her, then he could possibly get another pack member out of it. The McCall boy clearly was going to be a handful. 

“So because they need one another they should be together? What if we didn’t actually need the moon to live, should they be together then?” The conversation had a different tone to it now because Peter was genuinely curious on how the teenager saw the world and if he could use this form of logic against her later. 

“This is the part where I normally piss of Marrin with my response. No, Ms. Marrin, this story has absolutely no reflective value as I’m not looking for someone who completes me, just someone who accepts me. Like I said though, it has absolutely no reflective value, Ms. Marrin, i’ve only been seeing you since I was nine!” her faux happiness died back to her emotionally raw vulnerability and absolutely refused to look at Peter. 

“You’ve had a therapist since you were nine?” instead of being offended she actually laughed, it wasn’t a pleasant sound. It was raw and hurt and happy, as if she was glad someone was finally pointing it out and also hurt that they had, it had his wolf prowling underneath his skin. 

“Yeah, kind of happens when your mother accuses you of killing her for over a year and then takes her own life to get away from you.” at that Peter’s heart seized in his chest. 

“You got any family, kid?” her whiskey gold eyes snapped to him and  _ blazed _ beta gold, drawing his own alpha red up to the surface. 

“I’m seventeen and I haven’t been a kid since I was nine.” she sighed heavily and sat back up, drawing a wince from him by the way her spine popped on her way up. “It’s just me and my dad, he’s the Sheriff and I love him, but it’s hard to raise a kid on his salary alone.” she scrubbed her hands down her face and turned to face him, half hoping he’d just push her off and be done with it. “What about you Big Bad, got any other werewolf family or progeny I should look out for or could recommend to my friend Scott?” her… friend? He took a moment to sniff the air around her, delving through the pain and sorrow to her natural scent and nearly fucking shifted right  _ then _ . 

Sandalwood and vanilla, the one scent he had been following when he had found the McCall boy. It had been  _ her _ scent, not Scott’s,  _ she _ was who his wolf had picked and been tricked out of.

“A nephew and niece, the rest of my family was burned alive.” her head tilted to the side curiously then gave a small nod. 

“You’re Peter Hale, then.” she nodded and eyed his scars with admiration, for his survival or his honesty he didn’t know. “I read the case file when I was fourteen for a history project. Found it convenient that the Argents up and run from Beacon Hills the moment your family was murdered.” he snarls at her but makes no move to actually attack her, too torn between being impressed or annoyed at her flippancy of the situation. “Lot of theories were thrown around for a while since they just up and disappear the night the family founders all die or are left orphaned” 

“Yes,” he ground out, “I'm Peter Hale.” he would not snap at the poor girl for stating facts, not when she was providing him with precious information for his future endeavors. “And you are?” 

“Can you speak Polish?” a strange deviation but one that clearly was important to her. At his narrow eyed gaze she rolled her own and sighed. “Maczysz Stilinski,” Ma- what? “It’s Polish. No one can say it,” her sigh of disappointment actually made him want to learn the fucking language just to surprise her. “I go by Max.” 

“Do  _ you _ speak Polish?” just because her name was Polish didn’t mean she knew the language. 

“Mhmm, and Portuguese, Ancient Latin, and obviously English.” that was… surprisingly sexy, actually. “Gramps was Polish, Gramma was Portuegese. Ancient latin was because my crush was learning it and I wanted to be able to impress her.” she shrugged and put her forehead in her palm, “Then she ridiculed me even though I’m clearly bisexual and thus was ostrasized from the girl populus. You know what? Just kill me, I’m telling you my whole life story and this is honestly not how my night was supposed to go.” He couldn’t stop the startled laughter that wrought from him, especially not when she was genuine in her horror at having talked to him so openly. Peter understood but he was mostly grateful. 

She, aside from his nurse who wanted to use him, was the only actual conversation he had been able to endure for quite a while. He found he liked Max, she was clever and took to the unveiling of the supernatural almost too well - though with her friend being Scott, his recently bitten Beta, it made sense. More importantly he found he and his wolf were in agreement with wanting her as pack, the only thing was that they both wanted her to  _ want  _ to be pack. 

“I have a different proposition in mind.” she peeked up at him at that, horror dying down to her sorrow though that, too, was quickly receding. “The bite, it could kill you but, if you survive, it’ll turn you into a werewolf. I’d be your Alpha, your family-” he didn’t feel ridiculous saying that even though he felt he should have. Max, however, was now paying rapt attention to him and looking him in the eye, steady heart rate much like that of a hummingbird. “- and you’d be mine. I’m not a good man,” he admitted with a tilt to his head, eyeing her lack of reaction curiously. “But I’m not a bad guy either.”

“You’d like my help killing those that murdered your family and got away with it?” at his nod she hummed, “If it had happened to me I’d do much the same.” gotten himself a vixen, hadn’t he? How  _ glorious _ . “My dad, would be be pack too? I don’t, I don’t want him to be bitten and changed, but he’s - we’re a packaged deal, him and I.” she shuffled a little in her spot, “Scott isn’t the killing type either, he’s too black and white.” 

“And you’re not.” 

“No, I’m not. There’s a reason I side with Hummel in the Rock and Sauron in Lord of the Rings.”  _ that _ interested him, he knew why  _ he _ sided with Hummel, but most people always called him a hypocrite or a monster. “He was fucked over and wanted proper reparations. Even if I had the hugest crush on Sean Connery and Ed Harris, Hummel was right.” she shrugged, “I love Gandalf, but I really wanted Sauron to win.” 

“You’d help me kill them? Wouldn’t stop me or shirk away when it came down to it?” she sighed heavily and shrugged off her hoodie, too hot for the current conversation to continue lest she start sweating profusely. 

“Yes, they clearly deserve it.” she frowned as she stuffed her hoodie on her lap, hating the way her skin practically glowed against her blue jeans and black tank top. “If a situation arises where we have to kill someone that doesn’t deserve it-” she shrugged and looked back up at him, “I’ll probably argue with you about it, I’m hard headed. You’re not exactly seeing me at my best.” her best must be frightening and perfect since this her was already so striking. “You sure you want an ADHD teen beta with abandonment issues?” he did not like her tone when she talked about herself. 

  
“Let me think about it,” her delighted smile lit up her whole face and made fire dance behind her whiskey gold eyes. “Yes, I’m certain. Do you want the bite?” his fingers were hot against her wrist when he grabbed it and brought it gently up to his face, alpha red shining even as his fangs grew. 

“Yes.” and so he bit down and felt pride swell when she relaxed immediately after the flinch of pain, vanilla mixing with copper in a too sweet too bitter smell that he liked and hated all in the same breath. “Do you - do you have to go anywhere?” he blinked in surprise at her when she moved a little closer to him, bright eyes shining hopefully. “Could you teach me a few things? I don’t - dad is working a double and won’t be in until early morning. I’ll just be here all night regardless.” he rolled his eyes, took her hoodie, and laced it around his waist before easily picking her up and holding her close so they could overlook the city limits, wolf howling in victory at the skinship. Max, to her credit, did not flinch and actually relaxed against him, exhaling with relief. 

“You’re very relaxed around a naked stranger.” he mused as he felt her pack bond slip into being in his chest, clearing away some of the fog that lay over his brain and clear up his instincts. 

  
“You’re not a stranger,” she told him petulantly, “You’re my alpha.” and there it was, he and his wolf healed the rift between them until they were completely in sync once more. His exhale brought a full body shudder through him that had him squeezing her a little tighter against him. 

“My darling girl.” he breathed, calming his racing blood down so as to not react  _ down there _ and insult or scare the poor Beta. “What is it you’d like to know?” 

Everything, it seemed, because by the time the sun was peeking out from the skyline they had covered everything from pack dynamics to scenting, bonds and what an anchor was. She surprised him when she told him that she’d already taught Scott how to control his anger ( _ I just pelted him with lacrosse balls while his hands were bound behind his back. Don’t laugh at me, I was pissed off at him ‘cause he had already tried to kill me. No, you can’t kill him. _ ) and helped him find his anchor ( _ The fact that it’s his mother is the cutest thing ever, even if he’ll never admit it. _ ). Most of the things she had searched up and discovered he had proven to be true - much to her chagrin - and found that she wasn’t really in need of an extensive education.

“I’ll come to you after school,” he tells her when they’re both standing again, staring now at the treeline of the Preserve, both reluctant to actually depart. “and we’ll discuss how to tell your father everything.” the smile she sent to her now healed wrist was enough to make Peter grin.

“You’ll have clothes on this time, I hope.” the wicked gleam in her eyes was mirrored by his own grin, red flashing to see her beta gold. What flashed back, instead, was blue, just as frosty as his once had been. It gave him food for thought, at least, because she had either killed someone else in between the time of her mothers’ death, or she had believed her mother’s accusations that she had killed her and thus that guilt made her eyes blue. 


	2. Chapter 2

This was now how his first week with his Beta was supposed to go. She was excellent and took to pack life perfectly - he had been a little annoyed with how tactile she was but gradually found comfort in it - but this? This was fucked. 

“Who did you kill?” Chris Argent continued, pressing Max - his beta dammit! - against a wall with his arm pressed against her throat with a wolfsbane bullet planted in her thigh, weakening her. 

  
“I don’t expect you to know or care,” she grunted out, hands cuffed to the pipe above her head, “but our eyes change color because of the guilt.” she gasped in pain when he dug his gloved hand into the bullet wound on her thigh, building her pain until Peter was near choking on it from his spot down the hall, trapped in one of Deaton’s ash lined secret rooms. “You don’t care if it was in self defense or if I’m blaming myself for the death of someone I loved.” This wasn’t how Peter wanted to introduce Max into the world of the supernatural, not through pain and meeting the  _ Argents _ . Not with her having to take torture after tricking him into the one compartment he couldn’t get  _ out _ of. 

  
“Who,” Chris ground out, “Did,” Peter understood, Max knew how to piss someone off with her words alone. “You kill?” He could feel her fear and panic, her pain and grief all swelling through their bond, then her fury when she arched her back and shoved Chris away, blue eyes and fangs flashing. The only thing that saved her from being riddled with bullets was the fact that tears were falling in rivulets down her cheeks. 

“My mother!” she shouted at him, “Frontotemporal dementia, she used to hit me and say I was killing her!” Chris’s eyes remained hard but his scent softened, his men were not so composed, however. “She used to scream that I was taking her face, would rip her I.V’s out to try and stab me with it!” she bent, grabbed her shirt with her teeth, and rose it so they could see the puckered puncture scars on the right side of her abdomen. She spat it out after a moment so she could snarl at them. “After a  _ year _ I believed I was killing her, and then I  _ wanted _ her dead!” she was full on sobbing now, heaving gasping breaths in a way that he knew meant she was on the verge of a panic attack. “You don’t care though! No you’re just like everyone else! My eyes are blue, I’m a killer, I killed an innocent so I’m a monster!” she sagged, hanging from the cuffs in a way that pulled at the skin of her wrists. “It could’ve been in self defense and you wouldn’t care.” 

“Shit, man.” one of the Hunters cursed, running his hand through his thinning hair as he eyed the kid. “Chris, man, she’s just a kid.” 

“We can’t leave anything to chance. We’re going to ignore the fact that there have been an increase in animal maulings while a rogue omega with blue eyes is in front of us?” The other Hunters shuffled a bit at that, seeing his logic but not able to deal with the fact that the teenage girl was genuinely upset and expecting her death for reasons she had clearly stated that were definitely probable. 

  
“I am  _ not _ an Omega!” she growled, “My father is my pack! My friend is my pack!” she wiped her tears with her shoulder even though they kept going. “Allison is my pack too!” and Chris’s arm was right back on her throat with a fury that made Peter want to rip his goddamn throat out. 

“Allison is  _ not _ your pack!” he let up only after her face turned red with the lack of oxygen, trying to regain some sense of control in himself. “Where is your Alpha? Who are they?” His fingers placed right against her pulse point, drawing a newfound rage from Peter. 

  
“I don’t know,” her - her heart beat remained steady. She - was she able to lie without her heartbeat changing? “I was bitten on the night of a full moon in the middle of the Preserve, I don’t know  _ who _ bit me” her scent was the only thing that told him she was lying, a scent the human hunters could not pick up on. “If you’re going to kill me just do it, but you better make sure you don’t make a mistake. My dad  _ will _ look into my death regardless if it looks like suicide or not.” 

“Chris, I’ve been with you for ten years. This - this doesn’t sit well with me, man.” Max, in that moment, looked defeated, and nothing Peter could do was getting noticed so they’d move away from her. The Mountain Ash kept him from attacking the room, the room was noise proofed so they couldn’t hear him no matter how much he screamed, he had to watch through the one way runed wall as his Beta protected him and was hurt. He couldn’t stand this, it was like the fire all over again, there was  _ nothing _ he could do. 

“You know, if you were wolves-” Max mumbled, eyes trained on the floor. “- your eyes would be blue too.” 

Silence and shock, horror and acceptance all filled the room after her words. Max was a natural at decimating her enemies with her words, she would’ve made a horrifying Emissary or politician if she had a different life. As it was she was just amazingly perceptive and had this ability to just cut you into pieces with her words. 

“We’re going to look into this story about your mother.” Chris promised after a while, taking a bullet from his cartridge to light it with his lighter and slam it into her wound, regret laced in his scent with each scream she gave off until the wound itself began healing. “If it’s proved false I will find you.” 

“When you find exactly what I said it was I’ll be killed anyway.” She relented, still hanging pathetically. “When I figured out what was wrong with me I tried to research as much as I could. Your family doesn’t have the best reputation with wolves, sir.” her head rose, split lip and tear-stained cheeks a harsh message to the man who had begun to question everything. “What would I know, though? Every hunter follows the code, no one breaks it, we’re all just monsters for you to put down.” then her tears started anew, “I just want my dad.” it was a broken sob, a plea, the final punch that delivered all the second-guessing home. 

“Henderson!” the elder of the hunters ignored his fellows and strode forward, key to her handcuffs in hand. 

“She’s seventeen for god's sakes,” the moment one handcuff was released she fell, limp, into his arms. “It’s okay, kid, you’re done now.” he shrugged his jacket off and curled it around her torso, hating how cold she felt and how this business had ended up turning out. “Let’s get you home.” 

“I can’t-” she panicked, “Not, not like this He - he doesn’t know!” 

“Okay,” he breathed, deciding right then and there that he was done with this business. He was done hunting, he’d seen too much in his twenty years and hadn’t hardened as much as the others. It never got better, he never numbed to it, it’s why he had gone from Gerard, to Kate, and finally to Chris - where he had stayed the longest. “Okay kid.” 

“Just leave me, please, don’t be nice when I’m just going to die later.” and it was because she believed it, really truly believed that they were going to kill her regardless, that had Chris pulling his men out and deciding he really needed to take a second look at his family. If one beta so new to her shift had been so sure that he would kill her  _ because _ he was an Argent and she was a wolf, then something that he had no knowledge about was clearly going on.

Max waited an hour before she was sure they were gone and weren’t coming back to open Deaton’s hideaway, tripping the boundary rune so Deaton could come let them out, and crawled into the room and into Peter’s arms. “I’m sorry,” she whimpered, “If they saw you they would’ve killed you outright. I know - having you watch - I-” she shut her eyes tight and clung tight to him, coated in her blood, infection, sweat and tears. “I’m sorry.” 

He knew, goddammit he knew but it had  _ terrified _ him. He had felt her pain, her fear, her  _ everything _ and couldn’t do a goddamn thing about it. It was  _ just _ like the fire, being able to feel them all burning to death but unable to help them as he, too, burned. It was maddening, he’d hate her if he could but it only made him love her more. To be so willing as to put your life on the line, to lie right in front of a room of hunters, all to protect the pack? Those were the qualities of an Alpha, qualities of a mate and of proper pack. She’d only been a werewolf for a week and she was already perfecting herself to the role better than he had ever seen born wolves do. 

“Deaton will be coming to let us out soon.” she mumbled, “he showed Scott this place incase he was ever hunted.” And Scott showed her, his best friend. Peter heard the finisher even if she hadn’t said it, it still didn’t properly prepare his Wolf for the fact that they’d soon be facing the Emissary that had failed to protect his pack. “Peter, I’m sorry.” he hushed her by burying his nose into her hair, squeezing her tight. 

  
“Never again do you leave me where I can’t save you, do you understand me?” it was a threat and a command, an order from her Alpha and a plea from someone who cared for her. “You do not  _ ever _ do that to me again.” 

“Never again,” she agreed tiredly, “together, next time.” 

“Yes, next time we face them together.” he agreed, eyes shut tight so he could focus on her. Her smell, her heartbeat, the feel of her in his arms and against him. He focused on her until his heartbeat steadied again, knowing full well she could smell every emotion that filtered through his mind. Anger for having put him through that, relief that she was okay, concern because she still had her blood on her clothes, and admiration and devotion to her who had put herself through that  _ for _ him.

“Max-  _ Peter _ ?” Deaton greeted, staring wide-eyed at the two 'were’s curled in the middle of his protective room, not having expected to see a man long since forgotten and the young woman he had assumed was still human. “What-”

“Hunters.” Peter explained as he slowly stood, making sure to be extra gentle so he didn’t wake up the sleeping teen in his arms. “They followed us, she shoved me in here and faced them herself.” 

“So she is turned, too.” Deaton confirmed aloud, medkit in hand. “I assume by her blood on her jeans that her eyes are blue?” Peter’s sharp gaze was quelled by Deaton’s sad smile. “I’ve heard about Claudia Stilinski’s predicament, my sister is her therapist.” 

“Is patient confidentiality not a matter of legality and morals?” Peter drawled dangerously, not liking that someone knew some of his beta’s darkest secrets and had clearly shared them. 

“Yes, Claudia Stilinski’s tragedy is not a secret, it made frontline news when it happened since John was in line for promotion to Sheriff. Marrin confided in me in fear that she’d become possessed or haunted by a malevolent spirit.” she hadn’t been, clearly. Now, however, he was curious as to what was going to happen with her and the Argents, considering that she went to school and was apparently friends with the youngest. He didn’t mind the friendship, strangely, since he didn’t consider her as having had anything to do with it. The way Chris acted as well told Peter that the teenager didn’t know about the Supernatural, which meant that he hadn’t stuck by his family creed to start training them when they were sixteen.

At the very least it gave him an in with the Argents and would let him trap Kate. He would not be putting his own Beta in the path of danger, not alone. Not ever again. He would, however, need to come up with a way to keep her safe while in school where he couldn’t get her. He just wasn’t sure how. 

Max, though, presented him with the perfect opportunity not even two days later when she sat with a terrified teenager on her suicide rock. Max smelled of sorrow, of anger and protective love, and then she was holding the back of the teenagers head and whispering softly to her the same story about the sun and the moon she had once recited to him. 

“Erica, do you want out of that house?” she mumbled once they moved apart, staring at the city skyline. “I can - you can come live with me? We used to be pretty close and this isn’t out of pity.” Peter remained by the tree line, knowing that Max was aware of where he was but also that the teen - Erica - was comfortable only within her presence. 

“Yeah, your mom died and then my epilepsy got bad.” she admitted aloud, “we both kind of just, drifted apart.” she sighed heavily and turned to face Max, soaked in adoration and shame. “You healed.” Peter didn’t like how casually she seemed to accept that particular bit of information, even less that neither seemed all that perturbed with the two of them curled around one another on the edge of a cliff face. “So, vampire? Radioactive spider?” 

Max’s laugh was beautiful, even more so when her head was thrown back and her neck was exposed to the night air. It eased Peter’s nerves - and Erica’s - and set a whole different energy to the air. 

“Werewolf, actually.” Erica jerked around to stare at Peter as he finally left the forest line, putting herself between him and Max in a stance that told him she’d make an excellent pack mate. 

“Erica,” Max soothed, hands gentle on her arms even though she was drawing her to her side again. “This is Peter, he’s my Alpha.” he couldn’t stop the smug smile that sprouted, especially not when Max practically oozed adoration and acceptance. “Peter, this is Erica Reyes, she’s a friend of mine.” he gave a low, dramatic bow that immediately earned him a suspicious glare from the blonde. He could grow to like her quite well if her behaviors were anything like her current personality. 

“Your… alpha?” Max nodded and turned Erica to face her so she could flash her the beta blue eyes and wicked pearly white claws that sprout from her nail beds. “Holy shit, werewolf!” she glanced to a bemused Peter all doe eyed and excited. “Werewolf!” 

“Erica,” Max calmed, smelling the sour smell of her impending seizure. “Lay on your side, babe.” Erica did only after realizing what that meant, anger and shame all curling around her like a mass of self-hate. “It’s okay, I’m here with you this time.” and just like that the seizure took and she started convulsing. Peter moved closer when Max kept her hand on her waist, not letting her get too close to the edge of the cliff. “It’s okay, Catwoman, we’re fine, I’ve got you.”

“You want her for Pack.” Max nodded an affirmative, still cooing soothing words to the seizing girl.

“She’d make a good addition, you can’t tell by how she is now but she used to be hard headed and helped me beat up the boys that picked on us. The bite would cure her Epilepsy and give her the confidence she needs.” she cooed once her seizing started winding down, “Her mom isn’t exactly in her life, and we’d be able to watch out for one another in school.” a valid point that would help him by gaining pack - pack he could  _ teach _ \- and have someone who would be willing to protect Max while they were at school. 

“Alright,” the smile his agreement earned him was enough to make him feel ten feet tall. Max had the gut instincts of a natural survivor, instincts that - so far - had not led either of them wrong. Neither Chris nor the Hunters had been in search or trapped her since they cornered her two days ago. Allison, as well, seemed to not have heard any news about it since he could still smell the teen on Max. Sure, teenagers weren’t his ideal goal for pack mates, but they’d be a damn good starting point. He could build up their knowledge, train them how he  _ wanted _ his pack to be. 

He sat a little ways behind them when Erica recovered and clung to Max, close enough to feel Max’s body heat but far enough away so he wasn’t imposing on their ‘safe place’ vibe. He let Max explain the situation to Erica and had to fight his eye roll and smile when she used comic book references and T.V references he hadn’t really understood - Erica did and that was the important part. 

“This isn’t living,” Erica replied when Max told her the bite could kill her if it didn’t take, “it’ll just get worse, I could get a service dog but I’d still be doing  _ this _ in public and I-” her tears smelled sour, her hate like bourbon. “Could I? I - mom’s never really been the same since dad - and I’d like to have a family, er pack-”

“I’d be your family.” Max told her sincerely, “I’m not going to leave you alone in school either, and I’d like it if you started sleeping over at my house. I’ve got room in my bed but we also have a spare room that we used to use for my Aunt when she stayed over.” this, too, was what made his wolf howl in victory inside Peter. Her dedication to family, her ties to her loyalty to those she cared about and considered hers. These were all traits of a wolf that she already possessed, traits that were only embraced openly now that she and her wolf were in agreement. 

Max Stilinski, upon first meet, had implanted that she would be a magnificent wolf. She had not disappointed, had gained control far quicker than he ever thought possible, had honed in on instincts far easier than he’d ever seen any born wolves do.  _ ‘It’s because I helped Scott’ _ she’d dismissed,  _ ‘but thank you. _ ’ always thanking him, always blushing and smelling so warm and sweet. Yes, she was his intended Beta, not McCall, as she was perfect for both him and his wolf. 

“Can you wait until the next full moon?” Peter inquired with a raised brow, ignoring the hurt that wafted off the girl immediately at his question.

“He’s asking so that I can start teaching you about pack dynamics and ways to control yourself when your anger gets the better of you.” Max rushed, soothing the worry and frantic energy that had started up under her skin. “It’ll also give us time to get you moved in with me gradually - if, if that’s what you want.” 

“I -” Erica frowned and clutched at her arms tighter, “a week? Will that be enough time? I - I can wait but-” but not too long now that she knows there’s a different way she could be living. Peter looked to Max to see if she could do all of her part in a week and smirked when her whiskey gold eyes glimmered at him with promise. 

  
“A week.” He agreed, content now that it was settled to just bask in the night air with the three of them. Max took it on herself to answer most of Erica’s questions - even showed her the way she could shift and what to expect. Erica didn’t remark on the blue of her eyes once Max explained why they weren’t gold and, instead, offered a sweet ‘I’m sorry about your mom, Max.’ that made Peter aware they had chose right in a future Beta. 

“The pack consists of us three right now.” Max tells her after her questions die down, smiling softly at the night sky as if she were seeing something no one else could. “But it will grow, I want a big family.” Peter had full control over himself and that was the only reason he was able to tamper down the lust and intrigue that hit him full center at her words. That she was a teenager meant nothing to Peter, Hale women were considered grown at sixteen and thus had to endure a lot of hardships to prepare them for the future they would have to come across. While he knew it wasn’t the same for humans or other packs it was something that was ingrained into him, regardless of the situation or those he had to associate with. Max, by being a part of his pack, was now considered a Hale. 

And oh what a glorious tendril of pleasure that had curling around in his gut. Not every Hale woman had borne ‘were children but the majority of those that did outweighed those that did not. If he were to copulate with any females in the near future they, too, would have a high chance of becoming pregnant and giving birth to a were. That Max wanted a large family - and from her tone that meant extended and sired ones of her own - spoke lengths to both man and wolf. Peter, himself, had wanted a large family with many children he could spoil and prepare for the future. It was an interesting prospect he would have to revisit later, after the revenge of his family and the establishment of his pack. 

“Max, make sure to get some of her things moved in before morning. You two have school in the morning.” she beamed at him and nodded, rising and offering a hand to the hesitant Erica. “Take care of one another,” he ordered while grabbing the back of Max’s neck and scenting her, “make sure to lay low. I’ll meet you both in two nights.” Erica flinched a little when his hand brushed down her arm, scenting her as pack - he knew the flinch was not because she was scared of him but because she was rarely ever touched in a way that didn’t promise pain. 

“We will,” she promised and surprised him by pulling him close and rubbing her cheek against his unscarred one, then gently nudged her forehead against his scarred one before disembarking with Erica, practically vibrating happiness and joy. 

Peter couldn’t stop the victorious curl to his lips that formed as she disappeared from sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! So, as wit most of my stories, Max changes things!
> 
> Tell me what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter has a few warnings before you read further. Seizures, aftercare of seizures, and some self confidence issues _because_ of seizures.

“It’s okay, Erica.” Max cooed, taking the spare change of clothes Allison extended to her. “It’ll be over soon,” Allison shoved the doorstop back underneath the bathroom door so no one else could enter, understanding now why Max had told her to be quick.

“I hate this,” Erica sobbed once the seizure finished, exhausted and ashamed. “I really hate this, Max.” 

“I know,” she confirmed, “only a few days left, okay?” she soothed and rubbed her thumbs over her tear closed eyes. “Hey, alright, Allison got you those spare clothes for me. We’re gonna get you changed up and then we’re gonna enjoy our lunch, okay?” she shrugged off her plaid and smiled gratefully when Allison took it and set it with her jacket onto the sinks. 

“Allison?” Erica whimpered, not needing another hot girl to ridicule her or see her in her current state. 

“Hey Erica, I had a friend in New York who had seizures like this so don’t worry, okay?” she pulled a comb and a few extra hair scrunchies from her purse while Max stood her up so she could start changing. 

“You are a bad ass bitch,” Max growled once Erica saw the puddle of urine that was where she had once been laying down. “Just a few more days, babe, okay? Just a few more days and this will be in the past.” that seemed to calm Erica down, especially considering Max was throwing paper towels on the floor to clean up. “Just change right here,” Max waved, still able to smell her friends panic and urine and not liking it one bit. 

Allison, however, was touched by how sweet and kind Max was. She knew how emotionally exhausting seizures were for her friends and how utterly crippling they were to someone’s self-confidence. She had honestly thought Max might’ve just bled through her pants or something when she had texted her, asking her to go to her locker and take the spare pair of clothes out of her backpack and bring them to the bathroom nearest the locker rooms. She was delighted and stunned when she had let her in and immediately went back to the seizing girl on the ground she had only  _ just _ been introduced to at lunch. 

“Max,” Erica groaned, blushing dark red and drawing Allison’s attention. “Personal space, I can do that!” and Allison laughed because it was such a Max thing to do, washing down her legs with a laser focus that showed she wasn’t even  _ thinking _ about how it might seem to Erica or Allison. 

  
“What?” She blinked and stared up at Erica, head tilted curiously. “Oh! Uh, get used to it? Not like I’m gonna eat you out in the bathroom after a seizure, might overstimulate you and put you in another one. Or I think it might,” she mumbled, chasing the suds down her legs with a wet paper towel. “I don’t know if it’s a thing, ya know, but it could be, and if it is I don’t want to do that to you. I definitely swing both ways but your like a sister to me and that’d be weird, oh!” she glanced back at Allison, “you either. You’re gorgeous but totally not my type, honestly I think I’m only really into Lydia and not just girls in general?” she rose and threw the paper towels into the trash can. “Does that make me bisexual or straight with a freebie?” she shrugged and threw the paper towels on the ground into the trash and began washing her hands while Erica started getting dressed. 

“Max, I’m like nine hundred percent certain that you’re straight.” Allison giggled while she got started on brushing out Erica’s hair, smiling softly at the teen so she’d relax just a little. 

“Yeah?” Max mimicked then, with a huff at her friend not smelling enough like her, shrugged off her  _ second _ jacket and placed the black zip up hoodie on her friend and, with a sniff, nodded her head, satisfied. Allison saw it as her making sure her friend was comfortable and warm, a sweet move that she knew Max for. Erica knew it was that and so much more from their talks about scenting and what she should expect. She knew that it was also Max’s way of giving her something she could hide in if she got too insecure while in class without her, something she could find comfort in. It was for reasons like those that had Erica so in love with Max. 

“Thank you,” Erica mumbled out once her hair was combed and she was dressed, feeling a little more like herself despite how emotionally raw she still felt. “Both of you.” 

“No problem!” Allison chimed, then shifted and began braiding Erica’s hair into a single plait, loose enough to not tug or cause her discomfort but also tight enough that it wouldn’t get caught in her face anymore. “Hey, so uh, my- do you guys - would you two want to have a sleepover at my house?” she shifted again, nervous now because it was her first time asking (Lydia had practically invited herself over and then invited her to her house) friends (she was now intent on having Erica join in on their fun, especially with how much Max seemed to care for her) and felt much like she was six again. 

Max was quiet as she stared at Erica, both lost in thought and wanting to know what Erica would like. She didn’t really want to be back in the presence of Allison’s father - especially not that he now knew what she was - but would willingly suffer through it if Erica wanted that experience. Them sharing a bed - something that happened often as Erica had constant nightmares - was different between them - as they were like sisters - and another girl. 

“I - it wouldn’t be a problem?” Erica asked, on the fence about it but desperately  _ wanting _ to. She felt safe with Max, protective even, and it had been  _ so _ long since she had a decent sleepover that didn’t result in her being ridiculed or feeling fucking awful. 

“Not at all! It’d be just us three, well my dad and my mom too, but no one else.” Allison finished off the plait and softened immediately when she saw the look passed between both girls. Erica clearly asking if it was okay while Max easily melted under the girl wanting to go and nodded once, smiling fondly at the burst of happiness that brought her. 

  
“Then, yeah! Uh, when?” Erica brought the braid over her shoulder with a fond smile, not used to being taken care of and deciding she quite liked it.

“We could do it tonight! Or tomorrow night, or, really, any night.” and if anyone had ever said Allison Argent was a goddess of beauty normally then they would drop dead at how gorgeous she was with a shy smile and a pretty blush on her cheeks. 

“Tonight works, there’s that new episode of Game of Thrones coming out tonight.” the three girls - now all cleaned up and prepped for the remainder of the day - left the bathroom with Max sticking the door jam in her pocket, chatting happily with the two girls. No one commented on the fact that Allison had ended up putting Max’s plaid flannel on, nor that Erica was now hanging out with the two and seemed  _ much _ happier than she had in a long while. 

No one commented - to their faces, at least - when the trio walked in, grabbed their lunches, and walked back out to eat outside, underneath the courtyard tree so they could chat, just the three of them. Erica rode that high all the way back to Max’s house where they packed a bag for the night, left a note for her father, and made their way to Allison’s house after she texted them the address. 

  
“Holy shit her family has to be  _ loaded _ .” Erica whistled, eyeing the houses they passed through in the cul de sac.

“Yeah, her family is into Arm’s trading. Chris has the contract for the Beacon Hill’s Police Depo for now, they’re a pretty big deal in France.” Max informed her with a wicked grin, “Allison was into shooting, but not that kind. She’s a total badass with a compound bow and even got a few trophies for how good she was. Guess being a total badass hottie runs in the family.” 

“You’re totally still into DILFs.” Max’s bright red blush was answer enough for Erica to cackle happily. “So, you into Peter too?” Max shifted in her seat and shot her an embarrassed glare. 

  
“What do you mean  _ still _ into DILF’s? Of course I’m into Peter, but I don’t know what kind of  _ into _ it is, ya know? Is it just appreciation for him giving me a second chance at life? Is it me just clinging to him because he gave me more family, because he’s going to sit down with me and my dad and explain to him about the supernatural? Which we’d like you to be a part of, by the way, since you’re already family and Pack.” Erica understood that, but she knew Max more. 

  
“When we were younger you use to say you were going to marry Jackson’s dad.” Erica answered, “Then you started crushing hard on Principal Thomas once we started high school.” Erica  _ loved _ the way she turned redder at that, “As for Peter? You’re into him, one thing I’ve always loved about you Max is that you don’t do anything half way.” 

“I do a  _ lot _ halfway, thank you very much. I’m awful at it, the worst procrastinator ever. I thought the bite would cure my ADHD - and it did - but now I just have to come to the realization that I’m just a freaking spaz and that it wasn’t the ADHD that made me do things. I still have laser focus when I’m doing something or I focus on a hundred different things with a second in between.” she let out a triumphant shout when she pulled into Allison’s driveway, “And I love you too, Erica.” then, “if, at any point, you want to leave tell me, okay? I won’t be upset and Allison will understand.” she took Erica’s hand in her own, ignoring that the front door opened to the house. “I mean it, at  _ any _ point, okay?” 

“Thank you.” and Erica meant it, it was a world of difference to have Max at her side, even  _ if _ she was still human. The fact that she could smell when her seizures were coming had spared her  _ so _ many embarrassing moments - especially since she could smell them from across the building and often was dragging her into a bathroom  _ as _ they hit or  _ right _ before. Being cared for was also helping her with her confidence - as well as the fact that soon she’d no longer have to deal with the seizures. 

“Hey guys! C’mon, I convinced mom to let us cook!” Max grinned big and broad, backpack slung over her shoulder, trying to  _ not _ look at the house where Chris and Veronica Argent stood in the doorway. “She’s going to watch over and help us, regardless, but it’ll be something fun for us to do!” Max looped her arm through Erica’s and Allison's, offering both girls a rather loud exhale. 

“Yes ma’am, Head chief ma’am! With Sous chef Erica and me, your Line chief, we shall make the most excellent macaroni and cheese ever to have been tasted!”  _ that _ had both girls cackling as they walked up the yard to their front door. All three knew full well they wouldn’t make Macaroni and cheese but it was damned worth it to see the regret and amusement glimmering in both the adults’ eyes. 

“Hello Mr. and Mrs. Argent.” Erica greeted meekly once they stopped at the front door, clutching tight to Max’s arm. 

“Hello,” They greeted warmly despite the way Mrs. Argent’s eyes cut straight back to Max. “Darling, why don’t you take their bags up and Show Erica around? Your father and I have to talk to your other friend for a bit.” Allison’s frown and Erica’s sudden panic was a precursor to an awful night unless Max did something about it. 

  
“Hey, no biggie. I totally broke into his office thinking it was a library, this is that scolding.” she laughed and handed Erica her bag, relaxing both girls and surprising the adults. “Really, the faster you get everything set up the quicker we can cook and the quicker you can show Erica how badass you are with that compound bow.” 

“If you’re sure,” Allison frowned, hesitantly leading Erica into her house with a few suspicious glances thrown here and there at her parents. Max’s facade of ease and happiness immediately melted away when Chris closed the door, leaving the three of them out on the lawn. 

“How dare you,” Veronica Argent hissed, eyeing Max with a hate that reminded her  _ too much _ of the way her own mother used to look at her. “How dare you even  _ think _ -!”

“Veronica.” Chris warned, cutting her off. “Your information checked out,” he told her with only slight disdain and partial sympathy in his tone. “I’m sorry about your mother.” 

“It still doesn’t change your opinion of me being the scum of the earth though, does it?” she clutched her arms tight around her and sighed, looking at the ground as if it could swallow her up and away from these people. “Doesn’t matter if I was attacked, doesn’t matter that I’ve not killed anyone, just that I’m a monster with blue eyes.” 

Veronica’s retort of ‘You are a monster,’ was drowned out by Chris’s “I’m sorry this happened to you.” 

“I’m not,” the reply came readily, “there’s so much good that came out of this. I can smell when someone is sick, I can take away the pain of my friends. I can take care of my sick friends and help out at the hospital without worrying about getting sick myself.” Her smile was pained and desperate, Chris realized then, staring at the teenager who he had almost killed. “I can smell when someone has cancer, or if there’s a fire down the street. I can run headlong into a burning house and save a kid without worrying if I’ll heal from burns or just die trying.” she clutched her arms tighter, hugging herself for some kind of way to keep herself together from the woman’s burning glare. “I’m not sorry that I can feel each of the bonds I have with the people I love. I’m only sorry that people like you think I deserve to die for being like this.” 

“Pain medicine can take the pain away.” Veronica growled, “Service dogs can smell sickness in other  _ humans _ . There are plenty of ways to take care of those that are sick without getting sick that don’t include  _ being _ a monster.” 

“I’m not trying to convert you.” Max sighed, arms dropping like lead weights at her sides. “Am I not allowed in? Your mountain ash barrier keeps me from entering.” 

“You are.” Chris spoke up before his wife could, “I’ll need to see you on a full moon to secure that you’re not a threat. If you pass then we’ll be leaving you alone.” 

“Alright.” on the inside Max was fucking beaming with smug acceptance that her plan had gone exactly as she had intended. She and Peter had talked about what their next move would be and settled that they’d want to see if she was in control. That would put their focus on her so that he and Erica could experience her first full moon without additional heat from trigger happy hunters. “Alright, Head chef ma’am! What are we preparing for dinner!” All in all it was a spectacular night after that, one Erica spent a majority of laughing or smiling. It was beautiful and painful all in the same breath, especially since Erica was down to having two the three seizures a day now that she was weaned off of her medicine so her system was clear when she took the bite. 

It’s why she tapped Erica on her arm when she smelled the sour energy of an oncoming seizure. Chris and Veronica watched as they left the table to go to the nearest bathroom, Allison soon telling them exactly  _ why _ they were hustling away from the table. 

“Okay babe, in the tub.” Max urged as the tremors started in Erica’s hand, shrugging off her flanell to tuck it under her head the moment she stiffened up, aware that the door was open with a concerned Chris Argent standing by with a frown. “Thank you,” She murmured when Allison put a spare pair of clothes - if needed - on the sink the same moment Max gently shifted her back on her side, wincing each time her knee or foot slammed into the tub. 

  
“Does this happen often?” Chris murmured, just loud enough for Max to hear but not for anyone else. She was thankful that Allison was helping her mother clear the table so the two could talk without limits. 

“Yes,” it was, thankfully, a quick and clean one, resulting in Erica feeling a little less awful about the whole situation. “Hey babe, you feeling okay?” she made sure her hand was hidden from Chris when she put it around Erica’s waist and started taking the pain and fatigue that had settled in her limbs. 

“Yeah,” Erica breathed and sat up slowly, “yeah I’m okay. Thank you,” then, with a small smile to Chris - “I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t apologize, I’m glad Max got you somewhere safe on time.” there was an accusation in his tone, as if Max might’ve revealed herself to Erica. What he didn’t know was that Erica was a grade A liar, especially when she needed to put on some acting to protect those she cared about. If it was a lie for her benefit then she was often found out, but if it was a lie to protect her friends? A lie that they  _ might _ have gone over in case someone remarked on it? 

  
“My eyes go dull right before a seizure.” she admitted as Max helped her out of the tub, sighing heavily to keep up appearances even though she didn’t feel as exhausted as she normally would have. “Max was the one who figured out that tell. It used to be maybe a seizure a week before my medication stopped working as well. They’re clearing me off of my medicine so they can do another set of tests to see what new type of meds I need.” Chris put the kit back underneath the sink once he was satisfied she hadn’t actually hurt anything and followed the girls back to the kitchen to finish helping with the rest of the dishes. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Argent, I didn’t mean to ruin dinner.” 

“Nonsense, it’s a good thing you’ve got such good friends.” her eyes cut menacingly to Max, “and one that can predict when they’re about to happen, too.” Max was a little flattered at the warning glare Chris shot his wife on her behalf but quickly dismissed it to him telling her to stop since they assumed both girls didn’t know about the supernatural. 

“Max is a really good friend,” Erica agreed easily, unknowingly easing both adults - even if Veronica eased up only a little. Max, still, was grateful, and still managed a pretty pink blush at the compliment. The rest of the night finished off with only a few glares thrown at her from Veronica, a small apologetic smile from Chris, and loads of laughter and happy squealing from the three girls as they finished the newest episode of GoT - though Veronica had charged into the room with a kitchen knife, no doubt having suspected Max of attacking her daughter and friend, to which Chris promptly escorted his wife out and apologized to the girls. Allison was absolutely embarrassed, Max was cackling like mad. 

“Dude, dude she totally just reminded me of Winnie from Hocus Pocus!” and now both girls were cackling with her, happy and gleeful despite all that was looming over Beacon Hills. 

“Just because her hair is red!” Allison cried, tears lining her lashes with the extent of her laughing. Max, throughout the night, found three trackers in her jacket, the lining of her pack, and in her socks. It was amusing, like a test almost, and so she pretended to not notice the one that Chris had stuck onto her Jeep  _ or _ the one in the lining of her jacket, just for shits and giggles. If the three she did find wound up crushed in their mailbox the next morning that was their problem.

  
“Could we do that again?” Erica asked once they were all at school, happier and freer than she had ever felt. “The… the hanging out and sleepovers?” 

“Of course!” Allison agreed happily, “Honestly, the fact that you two aren’t girly - not that - I mean you’re both gorgeous and obviously girls but I meant like, not wanting to get dirty or wanting to do simple things! I’m - I’m not girly, not completely, so when I met the girl who runs and practices with the Lacrosse team without actually being on the lacrosse team I was super excited.” 

“I’m not any good,” Max admitted with a sheepish grin, “Hey Scotty!” and with a wave to her best friend and brother from another mother, Max and the two girls set off with Scott in tow, chatting happily about they could expect for the day. All unknowing of the three gazes that watched after them longingly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I know that the seizure amount may seem dramatic, but I based Erica's experience off of one of my cousins. She had seizures frequently in high school and was found often made fun of because of the few times her bowels let loose on her mid seizure. I didn't take care of her like Max is taking care of Erica, but I wish I had. 
> 
> If you have a friend or family member who you know has seizures, I recommend having a spare change of clothes around for them to be able to change into, in case their bladder or bowels empty mid seizure. It can be a very emotionally trying moment for them after their seizure, especially if they feel like an invalid. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise guests! Some welcome, some abso-frackin-not. 
> 
> Also, papa Stilinski makes an appearance! (I love their relationship)

“You,” Max stilled immediately in her row at the grocer,  _ knowing _ the voice without ever having actually heard it herself. “must be Blue Eyes.” she knew that if she turned around the blonde sociopathic Argent would be behind her, no doubt wearing a smug grin from the levels of cocky arrogance that wafted from her. Sure enough she was, and that grin only grew when she got an eyeful of Max. “How interesting, all that fuss over a teenager.” 

“It’s what teenagers are known for, right? Being handfuls that no one really wants to deal with.” thank you, sarcasm, for being such a quick friend.  _ Also fuck you, sarcasm, for drawing an approving smile from the sociopathic barbie bitch we’re wanting to kill _ . 

“Some of them, yes.” she smelled like gunpowder, oil, some expensive too sweet perfume, and wolfsbane. Not enough to cause Max too many problems but enough to make her take shallow breaths the closer she got. “So, what made my brother let go of a Blue?” the hand on her hip was a little  _ too _ close to the concealed gun on her hip for Max’s liking. 

“ _ There _ you are!” her savior was a brunette with chocolate brown eyes and a jawline that was to die for. The fact that she was getting her away from Kate wasn’t the reason she  _ immediately _ gravitated to her side, no. Max gravitated to her side like a pup because this stranger shared Peter’s base scent that was a tad tangy but was also warm to the senses. “I’ve been looking all over for you! Oh- was I interrupting?” 

“Not at all, she was mistaking me for someone else.” Max smiled big and broad and waved goodbye to the frustrated Huntress and let the woman guide her away until they were on the exact opposite of the store and she was leading her to a slightly familiar looking face. He, too, shared the same base smell as Peter and the girl.

“Oh shit!” she mumbled, excited now that all the pieces were coming together. “Oh shit you!” she slapped her hand against the cart and drug the two of them closer, knowing full well that they had snarled warningly at her. “You came back for Peter?”

“Who  _ are _ you?” the male, Derek Hale if she were guessing correctly, snarled at her, ice blues flashing at her dangerously only for him to flinch away in confusion when her blues flashed back. 

“Oh, I’m Max! First name is Polish and no one can say it so I’ve gone by Max since I was little! Well not really, I used to go by Magic ‘cause my Mom used to call me that, but stopped and Max was next!” the woman smiled broadly at Max’s rambling, brown eyes glittering with mischief the longer she happily went on. “Anyway! You’re Derek obviously, who are you?” 

  
“Laura Hale.” 

.

“Wait, wait.” Max pushed her milkshake away, head shaking to try and clear it like an etch n sketch. “So  _ you’re _ Laura Hale, definitely  _ not _ dead, and  _ not _ an Alpha?” Laura grinned in a way that was all teeth and far too much like Peter. “So whoever the body that was found in the woods was  _ not _ you, it was clearly made to  _ look _ like it was you.” another nod followed by a sharp slap to the back of Derek’s hand when he tried to take the cherry from her milkshake. 

_ “Ow _ .” he hissed between his teeth, glaring angrily at the golden eyed teen. 

“I got extra cherries for  _ me _ , not for you!” and with that she popped the cherry in her mouth and defiantly clicked her teeth over the stem. “Oh wai-!” it was magnificent that an apex predator like a werewolf could manage to be a graceless and chaotic as the beta before them, especially when she got so excited that she  _ inhaled _ the cherry and then spent a good few minutes trying to cough it out. Derek, honestly, was done with the whole situation, especially since his sister decided it was so hilarious that she started leaning to the side, into the isle. “ _ Fucking ow _ .” 

“You’re cute.” she was glad her cheeks were red from choking as it masked the blush that spread across her cheeks at that. 

“Today hasn’t even started and it’s already crazy as hell.” when she was sure that her airways were clear and that there was no danger of anything else flying down her throat. “Okay, so long story super short. Peter’s been in acoma for six years, woke up a few months ago, bit my friend, offered me the bite, and recently added another to his pack. He thinks he killed Laura - he only became human semi-sane Peter these past two ish months?” she waved her hand in dismissal and continued on, ignoring the way the two of them flinched away at her tone. “So you two  _ have _ to meet him. I could totally take you now? The only thing is that his nurses think he’s still catatonic.” 

“I’m guessing your his Beta?” Laura drawled as she wiped at her cheeks, recovering from her glee. 

“Hm? Oh yeah! Sorry, he offered me the bite, probably said that bit too fast but I’m just excited. He thought he was alone so now that you two are back, now that you’re alive and he  _ didn’t _ kill you, this changes everything. Well, not really everything but it does change a big fucking portion of it all. Peter’s pack consists of me, my dad, and Erica - who he bit yesterday night.”

“But not his other Beta?” Max shook her head and sucked down half her milkshake with a wince at the cold. 

  
“No, Scott is too… black and white. The psycho barbie you saved me from earlier was Kate Argent.” Laura held her brothers hand underneath the table, his rage and shame unable to be hidden from either ‘were. Max, thankfully, did not comment on it. Whether that was because she already knew, didn’t care, or already guessed Laura would have to give thought to later. “Peter, Erica, and I are going to kill her to avenge all those she’s murdered. Her brother, Chris Argent already cornered me as a hunter and interrogated me. I’m friends with his daughter, Allison Argent, and got the pleasure of meeting him as her father, too. Which is not fun, considering she’s pack to me but not to the pack.” 

“Your friends… with a hunter?” the skepticism would’ve made Max angry if she weren’t so happy to have some of Peter’s family back. 

“Ali’s not a hunter,” the two Hale’s waited until she finished paying before the three of them were heading back to Laura’s car, a sleek black chevy camaro that had Max whistling in appreciation. “That’s a nice- oh wait a sec this is Erica.” her smile dropped the moment he put her phone to her ear, horror smelling like burning cinnamon as the voice garbled over the phone how she was bleeding. “Erica,” despite how terrified she looked and smelled her tone was calm and soothing, a trait that Laura noticed  _ immediately _ as something a Pack mother would have. “I’m coming over, okay? You’re not dying. I need you to lock the bathroom door and just stay in there, I’ll be home in fifteen - no make that ten, okay?” when she hung up it was to quickly dive into her passenger seat, pull out a pen and her notebook and quickly jot down the address for Peter, his room number, and her phone number. “When you get there call this number  _ before _ you go into his room, that way he knows this isn’t a trick or something, okay?” In the same breath that she ripped the paper out and shoved it into Laura’s hands she was brushing pulling them down and brushing her cheek against theirs, scenting them intimately. “Remember to call me!” 

If Laura had thought Max was a hurricane when she was happy then she was definitely a concentrated explosion when she was focused on something. 

Max made it to her house in eight minutes and forty nine seconds and broke  _ at least _ six traffic laws. It, however, was vastly worth it when she forced the door to the bathroom open and  _ immediately _ gathered Erica in her arms. 

“Hey hey, it’s okay, you’re not dying, you don’t smell like death or decay.” Erica, however,  _ looked _ like she was dying, all pale skin with black gunk coming from her nose and ears. “I can feel your pain and panic through our pack bond, Erica, but no death. You’re not dying, just breathe in time with me.” 

“I'm scared, Max.” she knew, by god she  _ knew _ because Max was scared too. She couldn’t show it, couldn’t let it take the forefront of her mind right now, right now her pack mate needed her, her friend needed her and she couldn’t let her down by being just as frantice. So, with a practiced ease she perfected when her mother was sick Max evened out her scent and combed her fingers through Erica’s tangled hair, taking the pain little by little. 

“There’s nothing to be scared of, babe. Peter’s going to call in a minute and we’re going to share some good news, and then we’re going to figure out what’s going on.” that her phone rang immediately after she finished saying that spoke volumes to how the Hale’s thought of family. “Laura? Oh good, okay, turn your phone volume all the way up, okay? Peter, you didn’t kill Laura, okay? She’s alive, and Derek is with her. I’d be there too but Erica needs me, her body is rejecting the bite somehow. She’s not dying, but it’s not taking.” she heard the door shut on the other end before the phone was passed off to Peter. 

“She didn’t shift last night ether.” he informed her with a whispered curse. “The bite isn’t taking?” she thanked god in that moment that he had chose to speak with her, even with the revelation that he was no doubt experiencing. “What are her symptoms? I assume you can smell that she’s not dying and you’re not making a biased observation.” 

“She doesn’t smell like she’s decaying or dying,” Max confirmed, “The black blood, too, smells fresh, despite its color. She’s pale, really cold, and she’s got a lot of pain around her spine and butt.” Max cursed, put the phone on speaker, and rushed to get Erica hovering over the toilet just as a fresh wave of black infused vomit spewed from her. “Uh, Peter? She… she has scales in her puke.” 

“I’ll have to view our records,” Peter mumbled while the covers shifted, him no doubt climbing out of the bed. “It’s about time I leave this hospital anyway. You keep her alive until I come to the both of you tonight,” then, in awkward Polish that he had  _ much _ too much confidence in, he said - “ _ Understand?” _

  
“Yes,” Max breathed, glad no ‘were was actually around to be able to smell the arousal that his Polish brought. Her tone, however, must have bled her interest because she heard Laura snickering in the background. “ _ Yes _ ,” she replied back and shoved her reaction into the back of her mind so she could focus on Erica. “Okay, Erica, I’m sorry about your clothes.” 

“Wha- MAX?!” another hacking cough brought on by her screech as Max slid her claws down Erica’s clothes, cutting them away from her body and absolutely ruining them. 

“Always wanted to do that,” Max admitted with a sheepish grin, using the water from the showerhead to drown out Laura’s laughter. “See, you’re going to be okay.” and maybe it was just her imagination but she swore she picked up two whines from the phone. “Erica, I ran into some special people.” the blonde whimpered and clung to max desperately when she hoisted the taller girl in her arms, moved her phone over to the top of the toilet, and climbed into the tub where the water was running hot. “I met Peter’s niece and Nephew. Laura and Derek Hale.” 

“Laura?” Erica murmured, relaxed now that Max was keeping a continuous pain drain and the hot water was raining down on her skin, warming her up. 

“That’s me.” Laura introduced through the phone, smug over  _ something _ that was clearly happening over on their side of the conversation. “Not dead, also quite curious as to who might’ve been able to pass off as me for me to be considered legally dead.” 

“Twin?” Erica murmured, too tired to care that she was naked and clinging to Max in her bathroom with the broken door shut tight. 

“No, I don’t have a twin. I have younger sisters, but none that were close to my age or looks.” Max was grateful that they kept the conversation going through the phone, especially since it let Erica be included and distracted her from the current situation.

“Peter, I think it’s time for a miracle.” Max finalized when she turned the water off, “If it was a trap then all the pieces are in place.” She sighed and drew the towel around Erica, contemplating what their next few choices could be. “The only advantage we have right now is that they don’t know that  _ you _ are the Alpha and they don’t know that we’re pack. We can either use that to lure Kate out into the open where we can kill her properly - or we can try and turn her, torture her, and then kill her.” her tone clearly stated which one she was a particular fan of. 

“What a  _ perfect  _ idea.” Peter breathed, “It would serve a poetic kind of justice to burn her alive,” a sigh, “but, in favor of not seeming completely insane or uncivilized, I think I’d rather just tear her throat open with my own hands.” Erica preened at the happiness that came off of Max at that, as if both were supremely proud of their Alpha for leaping over that vindictive hurdle that they both would have approved of. “You stay with Erica, sweetheart, Laura, Derek, and I have a lot to discuss and get set in place.” there was a beat of silence before Peter let out a long suffering sigh. “In the meantime call your Argent friend and see if she can connect you to her father. They have a bestiary much like our family does.” 

“I can come up with a story, Erica was bitten by the rogue alpha who bit me because she smelled like me, might be looking to build a pack. It’d make me withdrawing from society a little more understandable and would focus his hunters more on me, especially if he thinks she’s dying and not turning -or if he knows what she is.” 

“Exactly,” Peter agreed easily. “I want you to be careful, Max, and remember what we vowed.” 

“Wspólnie,” she murmured, blushing bright red in pleasure when he said it back. When they hung up Max took it upon herself to fill Erica in on the full plan and make sure she was adequately comfortable. It took her an hour before Erica was asleep to have the whole plan set up, and even then it took her an extra ten minutes to properly freak herself out. 

“Max?” Allison answered on the second ring, “Max! What’s wrong?!” she loved Allison and really hoped that whatever happened would result in Allison still wanting to be friends with her. Especially if she got so worried by hearing Max crying. 

“Alli, is your- is your dad around?” she began pacing the floor of her living room, “please, I’ll answer any questions, but is he around? If not does he have a number I can call? Please Ali.” 

“Yeah he’s - he’s right here, one minute, deep breaths okay?” the phone was passed over - no doubt he was driving her home from school or they were lounging around at their house. 

  
“Hello?” Chris sounded pleasant until a door closed, then his tone went hard and suspicious. “What are you doing asking for me through my daughters phone?”

“I don’t have your house phone number and I don’t know your cellphone and I’m honestly- I can’t - Chris the rogue alpha that bit me - I think it - Erica’s bleeding black and I - I don’t know what to do she doesn’t  _ smell _ dead or like she’s dying-!” and now the tears were easy coming, letting the earlier fright she had felt for Erica come full center to her mind. 

“You think the Alpha that bit you bit Erica?” Chris surmised, shuffling through his desk drawers over the line. “She’s bleeding black blood and doesn’t smell like death or like her organs are failing her?”

“Yes! She- she said she got bit by a dog a few days ago and I didn’t  _ smell _ anything - why wouldn’t I have been able to smell anything?!” more pacing, more shuffling. “I came home today and she’s - from her nose and eyes and then her  _ stomach _ \- what do I - it’s cause she’s friends with me and I -”

“Have her eyes turned any particular color? Have you noticed anything strange besides the black blood?” She was impressed and annoyed that he was able to remain so calm. Sure, Max knew what was wrong with Erica, but if she hadn't then his calm dulcet tones really wouldn't be all that helpful right now. Maybe it would have, actually, he was managing to calm her down a bit now. 

“Uhm, there was - there was like scales in her vomit, and she has a lot of pain around her spine and tailbone.” another, curiouser voice in the back of Max’s head asked  _ why _ she felt so at ease asking a man who had literally hunted and  _ hurt _ her for information that might save her friend. 

“Why did you call me?” the shuffling had stopped, Max’s panic increased for the sheer fact that he  _ might _ be onto her acting. 

“You’re a hunter, you hunt werewolves, I thought - you haven’t come across anything like this before? I - I don’t want her to die, not for just being my friend.” and that… that was a truth that left her in acute physical pain. It’s why she had offered her for the bite, why she had tried so hard to just  _ be _ a part of her life. She, however, was a werewolf and many people  _ would _ try to use her against Max just to lure her out. She was a danger to be around for more reasons than that but that one point hit all of her nightmares on the head. 

“I’m not coming up with anything immediately. Keep an eye on her, I’ll stop by when I figure out what’s going on.” 

“Chris - I - Thank you.  _ Thank you _ , I - before I forget - I don’t - your sister, she’s in town she - well she cornered me in the grocery store downtown? She knew about me, kept calling me ‘blue eyes’ I - If I’m going to die can we save Erica first? Please?” his irritable sigh followed as he sank into his chair. 

“One of the hunters,” he sighed, “I’m not going to kill you, not unless you hurt someone else.” Max didn’t do well with awkward silences but it seemed that Chris wanted to say something more, something he normally wouldn’t say, thus Max put up with the silence until he finally broke it a few seconds later. “I’m sorry,” he struggled, “That you’re so scared of my family.”

“I’m not scared of your family,” she replied easily, calming down from her early frantic emotional blow up. “I love Ali, she’s like the sister I’ve never had but always wanted. Yeah, you shot me and then shoved your thumb in it, but I’m not scared of you, either, Chris. I’ve only heard things about your dad and sister, they -  _ them _ I’m scared of.” she sighed and sat down, too tired emotionally and physically (taking pain just transferred it to them, dammit) to have the conversation standing up anymore. “I’m scared of dying and leaving my dad alone, I’m scared that I’ll  _ die _ alone. I - I’ll have to stay away from Ali, though, if the Alpha did target Erica because she’s close to me.” 

“I thought you said she was pack?” he didn’t sound angry, in fact, he sounded… interested? Like he didn’t want her to but he also wouldn’t stop her. 

“She is, but if her being pack puts her in danger, if Erica being my pack just  _ cursed _ her or something then I’m - I’m responsible for their deaths.” she sighed and rubbed her hand over her eyes, realizing only now that her clothes were still soaked and she had just soaked the couch cushion she was sitting on. “I’m - I’m going to go. I’ll uh, text Ali an excuse or something later. Thank you again, Chris, I know I’m still a potential threat but… this means a lot to me. Thank you.” she hung up before he could reply and focused her attention on cleaning up. 

Stress cleaning, her father liked to remark with a grin, Max stress  _ cleaned _ . She didn’t create messes, she cleaned things. She took the cushions off of the couch, unplugged all the lights and opened up all the windows. She swept the ceiling for cobwebs, then the corners of the walls, and then she took bleach wipes (which she now had to wear masks for because holy  _ shit _ Bleach once smelled good but now she wanted to fucking die) and wiped down every door knob, light switch, counter top, drawer handle, and fridge. Next was to chuck those gloves and clean the fridge out and organize all the fruits on the bottom drawer, then the cheese and lunch meat drawer right above it. Once the fridge was organized - the mayo had to go - she moved on to the Freezer, took stock of things she’d need to buy - and moved onto the utensil drawer to make sure everything was in it’s holster. 

Five hours into cleaning and the spices were organized alphabetically, the floors had been swept and mopped twice, the house smelled of bleach and fresh air-  _ thank you open windows _ \- and the cushions, tables, and T.V had all been cleaned and wiped off. The stairs, too, got cleaned before she moved upstairs, opening all the windows - including the one in her room where Erica was sleeping, letting the sunlight in so it hit her and warmed her up. It was going well until she eyed the broken bathroom door with a heavy sigh. Two hours later and she was scratchy with irritated eyes that kept watering and a sore throat. It was an improvement, most times she had worn the skin on her fingertips and often had them bleeding or close to by the end of it all. Now though, now all the laundry was done - with the last load drying in the dryer right now - the dishes were clean and put up, and all the trash was in their can - four bags worth. She felt good, she felt  _ clean _ , and the cold shower after really helped to wrap everything up. 

Sure, she hadn’t actually  _ thought _ anything through while she cleaned - basically just went numb and sang a few songs quietly as to not wake Erica up - but she  _ felt _ better. 

“You haven’t cleaned like this in a while,” Jeorek ‘John’ Stilinski greeted his daughter as he entered their house, grinning partially at his daughter stretched out on the living room floor. “Everything okay?” with a grunt he lowered himself to the floor beside her and rest his back against the couch. His smile was fond when she rest her head on his lap and stared up at him lovingly. 

Jeorek and Maczysz had the father daughter relationship that many people envied and adored, of course they sometimes annoyed one another or lied to the other, but they were, ultimately, a team. Max loved her dad, loved him so much that she couldn’t imagine a life without him.

“Do you believe in the supernatural, dad? Like, werewolves, ghosts, vampires and witches?” Jeorek knew his daughter - or at least he liked to think he did - such was why he gave her question actual thought instead of brushing it aside as he was her still damp hair from her forehead. 

“I used to.” he admitted with a thoughtful frown, twirling a strand of his daughters hair through his fingers. “Your mother used to take me out to the Preserve and point out flower and leaves she used to say were fairies. I didn’t really believe her until she took me to this giant tree stump, it was  _ huge _ , Max. She said it used to be alive, that it had powers.” he grinned sardonically, talking about Claudia was always hard but Max, at least, was listening attentively without interrupting him. It was making it a lot easier to get the words out passed his own emotions that were forcing his throat closed. “I touched it like she told me and it felt… empty, like there was no tree stump and I was just looking into a black hole. I believed a little bit then, nothing ever has made me feel so empty or hollow like touching that tree stump did.” he sighed and rolled his neck, trying to rid the stiffness that settled there. “I’m not sure about werewolves, vampires, and witches though, kid. Why?” 

Max was quiet for the longest moment until, at last, she whimpered softly and brought her hand up. She looked pained, she looked  _ scared _ , and then her fingers were against his cheek and he felt his pain slowly ebbed away, even the age old ache of the glass shards that were still in his shoulder. From the corner of his eye he saw black veins form at her wrist and down her arm. All was quiet, his heart was beating erratically and Max  _ still _ looked so scared. Jeorek only managed to lose his absolute shit when her eyes flashed ice blue instead of their whiskey gold and  _ stayed _ blue. 

“What the fuck?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo, whadya think? 
> 
> It never made any sense to me why Erica, too, didn't become a Kanima with all her personal issues regarding the lack of control of her body, her self confidence issues, and the desperation she had for any kind of cure. 
> 
> Now, Erica isn't reacting like a regular Kanima but that's because Max - who is a werewolf - has established a pack bond with her _already_. I think Jackson's complete transformation was because he didn't anything close to a bond that his wolf would see as safe and secure. Hence, Er bear is gonna have a few little struggles that Jackson never did, as well as a couple advantages he received way later on. 
> 
> Jeorek, as well, I love as a papa Stilinski name. Sure, people call him 'John' when they don't want to say Jeorek, or if they've known him long enough, but Jeorek and John are my headcanon names, they just sound so much better than Noah, in my opinion. 
> 
> Anyway, tell me what you think?


	5. Chapter 5

“Okay,” Jeorek nodded, “Okay. Who bit you again?” Max’s grin was quickly suppressed, even so Jeorek still saw it. 

“You’re going to try and shoot him.” try? Oh no, he was definitely going to fucking shoot the man who took advantage of his daughters loneliness and turned her into a  _ werewolf _ . “Dad!” Max cackled, telling him he definitely said that first bit out loud. “Dad, a gunshot won’t kill me, it doesn’t pose that much of a risk to me anymore. I won’t get those horrible flu anymore either and I’m basically able to heal immediately when I cut myself cooking.” She took her fathers’ hands in her own and smiled broadly. “I can take someone’s pain away, I can  _ immediately _ tell if someone is lying by their smell or their heart beat. There are so many more things I can do, so many reasons why this is a  _ good _ thing.” 

“There are people who will  _ kill you _ for simply existing, Max!” he couldn’t really refute the other points despite how much he sincerely wanted to. “And how do you know for sure about being shot?” he froze the moment her smile turned shy. “Max,” he started low, blood running cold. “Have you already been shot?” 

“Once.” she flinched at the wave of protective anger and worry that rushed from him at that. “It was fine! I healed, dad, and after a while it doesn’t hurt anymore.” that was exactly the wrong thing to say because her dad promptly  _ exploded _ in their kitchen.

“ _ Who!? Who shot my baby girl? _ ” thankfully, however, Erica chose that moment to make her way downstairs, dressed and a little better looking. Max was saved from having to answer her father when they both ran to her side, Max pressing gentle hands to her forehead and neck to see if she was cold again. Jeorek had a steadying hand on her back and a worried frown when he noticed how pale she was. “Is she-?”

“She got bit too, yeah, but it’s not taking how it’s supposed to. I’ve a few people looking into it.” they led her to the kitchen where they both got about to setting things up so she’d be comfortable. Jeorek got her some coffee to warm her up while Max took the hair tie out of her hair and finger combed Erica’s until she could put it up in a loose bun atop her skull. 

  
“The Hunter, who you’re apparently on good terms with, and your Alpha?” Erica was awake enough to stare in awe at Max and Jeorek, clearly not having expected Max to tell her dad so early on about the supernatural. 

“I was always going to tell him,” She admitted and sank into the chair beside Erica, smiling softly when Erica sank into her side for her warmth. 

_ “No, Dad, I’m not going to just let her seclude herself, okay? I don’t care what her excuse is, we’re friends and I’m not letting her go down that road again!” _ Allison? From down the road but quickly approaching, and dad meant she was with Chris, oh fuck. 

“Uh, Dad, so that Hunter friend I told you about? He’s coming down the road, but Ali doesn’t know about the supernatural so don’t - like her dad has to explain it to her-” and even bigger fuck because that was  _ not _ the right thing to say either. 

“ _ Chris Argent _ is a Hunter? Is he the one who  _ shot _ you?” 

_ “Being friends with her puts you in danger, Allison, end of discussion. _ ”

_ “No it isn’t! If being friends with her puts me in danger then teach me how to protect myself. She’s helped Erica with her seizures when she didn’t have to, she’s helped me with my class work even when she didn’t have to, and she’s just a genuinely good person. What makes her dangerous? That she’s the sheriff’s kid?” _ Oh Ali, Max really did love her. They were pulling into the driveway now, her dad was still furious, and now Max had to try and do damage control. 

“Dad, please, his daughter doesn’t know. Not yet, don’t do anything please.” He looked between his daughter and Erica, brown eyes glinting like tree bark in his anger. Her father always smelled like oil, gunpowder and polish, but his anger… oh his anger smelled like mint, sharp and controlled. When she opened the door Allison’s furious features were the first thing she saw, then the resigned acceptance of Chris’s face.

“You!” Allison snapped, shoving her finger into Max’s chest, angry tears building on her lashes. “You do not get to choose  _ when _ you want to ghost me from your life without me doing something about it!” Allison was angry, but she was also hurt. Max had become like a sister to her, sharing in her love for Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, cheering her on when she managed a bullseye each time with her bow as if it never got old. She supported her, gave her hard truths that she  _ needed  _ to hear and  _ never _ babied her or fed her bullshit. For her to just send her a text saying they couldn’t be friends anymore - with an albeit long ass excuse she didn’t even bother reading - was like a slap in the face. 

“I-” one glance to Chris showed that he was just as unsure about his daughter's reaction. He had been wanting to tell Allison about his their family _ after _ she graduated high school. Had wanted her to try and get a good look at the world before even  _ trying _ out the Hunter life - they didn’t actually  _ need _ to introduce her to it since Chris was still active and Kate was the current matriarch of the Argent Family. It seemed, however, that the Supernatural world was meaning to  _ keep _ them in it since Allison managed to become friends with a werewolf, but was also considered pack by one. “I’m sorry, Ali, but-”

“Erica?” Crisis met opportunity in that Erica chose that moment for her body to vomit yet another wave of black goo. Chris didn’t get to stop his daughter from running after Max, didn’t stop her from seeing the black blood or the way black veins crawled up Max’s arms from where they touched Erica’s skin. If he were honest he had half expected something of the sort to happen - his daughter threatened to follow behind him in her car or sneak over so he really had no choice but to bring her - and was honestly a little relieved that his daughter had frozen at the sight laid before her. Maybe it would make Allison never want to talk with her again, maybe they’d just drift apart. 

“Is she okay?” Allison asked instead, completely derailing all of Chris’s potential hopes that his Daughter would run away from Max. He should’ve known better, honestly, his daughter always surprised him with how smart and genuine she was. 

“She will be.” Max murmured as she dragged her gaze away from Chris and focused it back on Erica. “Did - did you find anything?” she was uncertain if she could ask, especially with Allison being right there. Her worry for her packmate, for her pseudo sister and friend outweighed that concern, however. Chris seemed to understand that too because he finally relented his information with a heavy sigh. 

“Yes, Kanima.” he ran his hands over his face and extended a flashdrive out to the teen. “This is all the relevant information that you’ll need to know.” he sighed and sank into one of the chairs and motioned for Jeorek to join him while Max and his daughter saw to Erica.

“I’m - I’m going to take her back upstairs.” Allison bent to offer her help but jumped back when she easily hefted the taller woman in her arms. “Will you follow me? Ali, give me - give me a chance to explain?” the two glanced back at their fathers - Chris nodded once and returned his attention back to Jeorek. 

“Alright.” she crossed her arms as if to put up some kind of barrier and hide how unnerved she actually was. Erica wasn’t going to go back to sleep, but she didn’t have enough energy to move about - plus she liked the way Max took care of her, so what if she was cheesing it a bit in that department - which gave her time to get her thoughts together on how this conversation was about to go down. 

“I’m a werewolf.” Max told her once Erica was back on her bed and she was facing Allison, shifting right before her eyes so she could get a genuine look at what Max became. “I -” Ali flinched but didn’t run away, her fear was just as prevalent as her hurt too. “I -” she shifted again and clutched her arms around herself. Allison she could trust, Allison wasn’t her parents or family, she could still change or prove to be better. 

But did that mean she could trust her with the truth? The  _ full _ truth?

“Full truth, even if it is too much or seems impossible?” 

“I just watched my best friend grow elf ears and wicked sideburns,” Max couldn’t help the smile that earned her, Erica couldn’t help the snort of amusement. “I’m thinking I want the full truth, yeah.” 

“Okay. So Scott and I haven’t been all that close lately - it happens every now and then but we’re still siblings, we’ll meet one another in a month or so and just spend hours catching up - and I met my Alpha. He offered me the bite, offered me the family that came with it, told me I wouldn’t have to ever  _ feel _ alone because werewolves can feel the pack bonds like actual you can feel your limbs. He was right. Uh, your family, Argent means -”

“Silver,” Allison nodded, “Are you telling me my family is a family of - what, werewolf hunters? I’m a family of Van Helsings?” Max went to correct her, paused, and then nodded her head with a little wry turn of her lips. “Seriously?”

“Ah, yeah. You uh, you know how there’ve been an increase in animal maulings lately? Your dad thought it was me. Omega’s are packless werewolves, they uh, they go crazy after a while. My eyes are blue,” she flashed them once more and smiled, pain and hate distracting her from the two sets of footsteps that were coming up the stairs. “Werewolf eyes are three colors, Red for Alpha, orange for a beta that hasn’t killed yet, and blue. They - they turn blue when you’ve killed someone, when that - that innocence in you is taken and chilled to ice. I- my mom - she used to - I was always trying to kill her, I heard that everyday for four months before she died. I was always stealing her face, taking her life it - when you hear it and your  _ ten _ you begin to believe it and - and then I wished she  _ would _ just die, that way she’d be, so she’d-” the tears that fell were genuine, as was the pain in her ice blue eyes as they stayed lit, as if she were hoping it’d drive Allison away. “So- blue eyed and apparent omega with a recently murdered woman in the middle of the preserve with animal hairs on it? Your pop though it was me.”

“We Hunt those who Hunt us.” Allison mumbled as it all came together, keeping herself from offering comfort to her friend until she was finished letting out the full story. 

“Yes.” she agreed, “he’s not a bad guy, he thought he was protecting everyone from a crazy monster.” she smiled sadly, unaware of the sharp glare Jeorek had focused on Chris just outside her bedroom. “I would’ve been, if I hadn’t had you and Erica.” 

“The pack bonds.” Max nodded again and watched as she began pacing back and forth, thinking. “What happens when one of these bonds break?” 

“It’s kind of like losing a limb. Like, you  _ know _ something was there, you can feel the ghost of it, but all that’s left is this hollow  _ wrong _ feeling.” or so Peter had explained to her on one of her late night questionnaires she’d decided to bombard him with. 

“And you were willing to go through that, to break that bond with me, so I wouldn’t find out about this because-?” at this Max shuffled and looked away. 

“Because your dad didn’t want you to know.” Erica told her softly, “Max said it was because he was probably waiting until you were of age, it wasn’t her secret to tell.” she shifted a bit on the bed and looked down.

“It wasn’t my secret to tell, Ali.” she glanced at the doorway and took a small step towards Allison, then another whens he didn’t flinch away and held her hands. “I didn’t want to lie to you, so I thought - I thought maybe it would be safer for you to not associate with me anymore.” she flicked her eyes to the closed door of her bedroom so Allison would notice. “We think the rogue Alpha bit Erica because she was pack with me.” 

Her father didn’t know the truth about her Alpha? Max had told  _ her _ the truth though? That was, flattering, and worrisome. That meant her father  _ knew _ her Alpha, meant that it probably brought more trouble than she’d been willing to face. 

“Well,” she sniffed and drew Max into a hug the same instant the bedroom door opened, trying to not feel too depressed when Max stiffened before sinking completely against her. Max was many things, but to Ali a liar was  _ not _ one of them. Not when she had genuinely expected Allison to leave her for simply  _ being _ . “You’ll have to get used to me, because I’m not going anywhere. Now, one thing I  _ am _ going to do is research werewolves all freaking night. So, thanks for that, my chemistry homework is going to be tossed thanks to you.” the startled wet laugh that left Max at that was mimicked by Erica - who had extended her arms for the two to hug  _ her _ . Chris’s eyes were as soft and affection as his scent when he looked at the three girls curled up on Max’s bed, all teary eyed and murmuring how Max would distract Harris so they’d both get it done in time. 

“Allison,” the three looked up at the two fathers in the doorway, both smiling softly at the scene - though Jeorek promptly glared whenever he looked at Chris. “Let’s go home, it’s time your mother and I told you everything.” 

“Go on,” Erica urged her, grinning now that she felt better - she was  _ not _ going to admit that the short cuddle session actually made her feel better, at least not yet. Max would be able to tell anyway, they’d have plenty of time to talk throughout the night as Max studied up on whatever was in the flashdrive in her hand. 

“I’ll see you two tomorrow, at school, okay?” when both girls nodded Allison left with her father, leaving both girls to stare at Jeorek with guilty, small smiles. 

  
“Alright, girls.” he sighed heavily, “I’m off Friday night. I want to meet this Alpha and I want to know why you lied to Argent about not knowing who it is.” he sighed and ran his hand over his face, smiling softly when both girls rose and gave him hesitant hugs. For the longest time it’d just been him and his daughter, then Scott had come along - Jeorek, honestly, had always wanted a son but was more than happy with his baby girl - and now there was Erica. His daughter thought she was slick by moving all of Erica’s things into the spare room, no doubt thinking he wouldn’t notice. 

Erica, clearly, was becoming their newest family member Max had decided to adopt. He didn’t really have the money to house another - though the finances for her were being taken care of, whether that was because of the mysterious Alpha, Erica having a Job, or Max having gotten one behind his back he wasn’t sure - but it was… nice. Dinners - that he got to actually attend when he was home - was no longer just him and his daughter and instead included Erica - a shy girl at first that quickly blossomed into a genuinely good, honest girl who was starving for affection. 

It wasn’t hard to guess why either, not when he had searched into her family to question  _ why _ no calls or reports had been placed for her after she’d stayed over for three days. Erica Reyes had a drunkard of a mother that - when he had gone to visit her - swore her daughter was off at school… at nine at night. Erica, who was barely sixteen, had often stayed over at her fathers house - now separated from his wife and starting another family of his own - and had his assistance with every trip she’d taken to the E.R regarding her Epilepsy. 

He’d have to talk with her if she’d like to be emancipated, when everything was settled. 

“Alright you two, head to bed.” he smelled of pride and joy when both girls planted kisses on his cheeks, his blush alone told Erica that she was a part of the family and that he wouldn’t put up too much of a fight if she were to continue to stay with them.

“Are you really feeling better?” Max questioned once her bedroom door was shut again. 

“Yes. You said werewolves use skinship for comfort, right?” at Max’s nod her smile turned a little less shy and a little more confident. “I think I’m just turning slowly. When you two were holding me I felt better, I  _ feel _ better.” Max ran her thumb over Erica’s cheekbone with a thoughtful frown and nodded. 

“You feel warmer,” with a sigh she broke away from Erica and grabbed her laptop and cell phone. “Alright, on the bed. Do you mind if I call Peter over?” Erica shook her head as she brought her backpack with her and sank back into the bed, determined to get  _ some _ of her homework done. “Laura? Yeah, uh, are you with Peter?”

“Yes, let me put you on speaker.” creaky floorboards and distant tapping on a keyboard immediately filled her ears, along with almost too distant crickets and the rustling of leaves. 

“Okay, long story short Chris and Allison were over, Dad and Allison both know. Chris still doesn’t know that I have an actual alpha and Dad wants to meet you Friday. Chris brought a USB and said that it contained information on a Kanima, which is what he thinks is happening to Erica. Allison and I were holding her earlier and it helped her feel better.”

“You said you consider Allison Pack,” Peter mused, closer to the phone now. “From what I know of Kanima’s they’re not pack animals, it could be that it and her wolf are currently fighting for dominance.” renewed tapping and a small snort of success. “Are you at home?” a click followed by a thump and resounding click. 

“Yes, I’ll open my window.” she shifted a bit to do so, phone clutched between her ear and shoulder. “There’s room for Derek and Laura too.” a pause, “In fact, if they don’t come and join in on the puppy pile I’ll consider it a personal slight and then I’ll have to joust them for my honor.” a startled burst of laughter came from Laura that was followed by Peter’s small chuckle. It was nothing compared to the pleasure and relief she could feel from her bond with her alpha, not when it made her so warm inside. 

  
“We’ll be there shortly.” the two girls said goodbye as the line went dead, giving Max just enough time to set her laptop up on her bed with her charger plugged in and the USB going through a virus scan. 

“Very Edward Cullen,” Max mused when she heard their footsteps in her backyard and the subtle rush of wind as they jumped, one by one, to her window. Erica and Laura - the first to enter - snorted in amusement at her comment, Derek scowled, and Peter seemed confused. “Alpha,” she breathed instead of her snarky come back and sank into his body, hugging him and scenting him all in the same movement. If anyone had told Max that one day she’d be a werewolf with a man at  _ least _ a decade and a half older than her as her Alpha and someone she genuinely couldn’t wait to be around she, honestly she might’ve believed him. If they had told her that she would have a crush on him, that her little family of three - her, her dad, and Scott - would grow to a family of five - almost seven if Derek and Laura decided to stick around - she wouldn’t have believed them. 

  
Now though, now she actually had it and felt  _ complete _ . Peter made her feel complete - she just wasn’t sure if that was because he was her Alpha or if there was a possibility for something more between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo, quick note. I've this idea for a new story that's stuck in my head that I can't quite get rid of, so I'll have to type it out. 
> 
> A Redemption, Sincerely Stilinski is going to be put on hold - I'M SORRY - and this story will be getting slower in updates until I get most of this new idea typed up. I'M SORRY AGAIN. 
> 
> If you want more of my work, or more of Max, check out my tumblr! Any story snippets that I've type that never made it to a full fledged story are posted there. The link is in my profile bio. 
> 
> Thank you!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of Blood, gore, and some excessive bone breaking towards the end of the chapter. Nothing too graphic, but ye.

“So this says a Kanima is a mutation of the Werewolf gene that cannot fully transform until it resolves that in its past which manifests it." she translated from the Ancient Latin, glad that Chris hadn’t tried to translate it or leave any pages out. “They have a paralytic venom that secretes from their claws and the tip of their tail, can be ingested.” her face screwed up in disgust, “It has a slime consistency and many hunters in South Africa used to use its venom to coat their darts for hunts.” her eyebrows went up in awe the more she read. “They also have a healing factor that rivals Wolverine.” 

“What really?” Erica tossed her homework to the side so she could read it, only to growl in frustration at the Ancient Latin. 

“Yeah,” Max mused, grinning at her frustration and the pride that was coming off of Peter - who was currently stretched out on her bed behind her with one foot curled around Erica’s hip with his own laptop propped up on his thighs. “They can survive being stabbed in the brain and are impervious to most toxins. Only certain wolfsbane strands affect them as well.” she hummed and skipped to the next page, “What’s Mountain Ash?”

“Magical Ash, used as a barrier to keep certain supernatural species out and is poisonous to werewolves and fae. It works against most, why?” Peter hummed.

“The Kanima and it’s Master are unable to pass a barrier of Mountain Ash.”  _ that _ was news to Peter. He quickly added that particular bit of information to his own Beastiary. “The only way to stop or fix the transition problem is for the bitten to resolve its past trauma which resulted in the mutation going awry.” she sighed irritably and shut her laptop. “How simple is that, oh yeah let’s just take the one thing in your life that still fucking scars you to this day and just ‘fix’ it.’ 

Laura was smiling when she took the laptop and put it back on the teen’s desk, quite liking the way her room was filling with the smell of pack. From the moment she had met Max she knew that the teen was something special. She had thought it was just her being a werewolf, then her Uncle had practically  _ jumped _ to answer the phone when they had entered his room, smelling of frustration, relief, and confusion. Peter had honestly believed that he had been crazed enough to kill Laura, his niece, and as such had spent a good portion of the ride over to their old house unable to  _ look _ at Laura, no doubt in case the whole thing was a trick of some sort. 

Now Laura knew that ‘special’ feeling she had for Max was because Max  _ was _ special. She was genuine, she was smart and sassy, she was almost  _ too _ human to be a werewolf and too werewolf to be a bitten. When she had calmed Erica down on the phone Peter and Derek had been unable to hold their whines in at her soothing tone, Laura only managed too because she had been so struck by Max’s Pack Mother tone that she immediately wanted to help her. 

“We’ll figure it out,” Erica assured with a yawn.

“Of course we will,” Peter agreed, “I don’t necessarily enjoy the idea of a mindless follower to enact my revenge, I’d much rather do it myself.” 

“Aww, Peter, that’s so sweet.” Max snorted to hide her laughter while the rest all turned their attention to Erica, confused and amused as to how she got anything sweet out of what he had just said. “I speak fluent asshole.” and Max was gone, cackling madly on her back pressed into his leg and hip with her face turned away. 

“I’ve decided,” Laura confirmed aloud with a nod of her head to her younger brother. “In New York we didn’t have a pack, we just stayed together. If you have space, if you can forgive me for leaving you here, Uncle, I’d like to join your pack.” 

“We,” Derek corrected her with an eyeroll. He was uncomfortable with being back in a place that held so many bad memories, even more so the monumental guilt he felt every time he looked at his Uncle. If they fixed it, if he worked to make the future better, if his Uncle would even give him a second chance at being the reason the Hale pack thrived then he’d take it. He’d take it and strive to make the most of it. 

“You were raised to be an Alpha,” despite Peter’s words his confusion and hope were trickling from him like a blocked stream. 

  
“I’ve been a beta, happily, for almost as many years.” she shrugged, “I could be your second if you’d like, but I’ve no desire to be an Alpha. I never knew that I had a choice when I was younger, Mom never gave me that choice.” another shrug with a small grimace at the mentioning of her mother. “I’m happier as a Beta, but I am trained and skilled enough to be your second if you really need one, or up until you find one you like better.” Peter was quiet for several moments, struggling with just what he could say and what he wanted to happen. He wanted them to be a part of his pack, he wanted his family back together but- but he wasn’t the same Uncle they’d remember. He couldn’t be, he barely remembered that part of his past. 

“I’m not the same-” 

“Oh please, you were always a shifty bastard.” the laugh that tumbled from his lips actually startled Erica awake and dissipated his nerves all in one go. Or maybe it was that Max had slipped her hand into his and was staring at him with warm whiskey eyes that told him she’d support his decision no matter what it was. It was a mixture of both, more than likely.

“Alright.” he agreed and promptly  _ gasped _ when their pack bonds snapped into place in his chest then secured like two ton chains that grounded him and brought distinct clarity between him and his wolf. 

“ _ Oh wow, _ ” Max breathed without ever looking away from his face. When her fingertips gently ghosted over the scarred flesh of his cheek and then glided over  _ smooth _ skin he almost didn’t dare  _ hope _ but, in his reflection of her eyes, he could  _ see _ the reverse scarring into smooth skin once more. “How are you more handsome? You know what, that’s illegal, not okay at all.” she accused after a few more moments of  _ petting _ him, blushing dark and smelling of arousal and appreciation. “How the  _ fuck _ are you going to explain that to the doctors?” 

His smile was blinding and drew another wave of appreciation from her. 

Turns out he wouldn't need to explain anything to the doctors, not when he could  _ reverse _ his healing factor to the point where he could make the scars return. It was strange to watch and even stranger to do, but it was something that no normal wolves could do. When he had looked into it with Max’s help he found that there was only three written recordings of two Alpha’s of his family that were able to do something of the sort. It, apparently, was a faucet of being connected with his wolf and his pack. Since the scars were a major factor of his being and had gone bone deep his body was able to consider them as a part of him, they’d stayed with him for  _ years _ and didn’t register as a wound anymore, just as a state  _ of _ . 

“Your friend, Scott?” he began hours later when it was just the two of them on her rooftop. “I believe he should be in on this sit down with your father on Friday and given a choice.” she turned to him fully at that, soft wheat gold eyes searching him for… for something. Not a lie, not a deception, but  _ something _ that she just couldn’t properly name, something that smelled like rain and vanilla and had his stomach clenching in anticipation. “His ties with you put him and his mother under the pack’s protection, but I’d like to offer him a place in the pack. If he refuses then his ties with you will keep him from going Omega. I’d like your father to reopen the case of the Hale Fire again.” he sniffed derisively at that and looked away from her, uncomfortable with how soft she was making him feel for the current topic of conversation. “I’d like Derek and Laura to be there as well. The humans can face a long existence in jail where they suffer daily, but Kate is going to die.” 

“I,” she started, smelling of nerves and happy and  _ rain _ \- “I can start leaving a paper trail for pop to find.” her smile turned to predatory satisfaction, “He thinks he’s slick but he’s been murmuring about bringing all his old case files back from the office and spreading them out in his room, trying to see if any of them had a supernatural connection that he missed at the time. He stopped by my door when we were all talking but didn’t come in, I wonder if he’s going to wait for me to tell him or if he just decided that one shock was enough for the night.”

“Probably the latter, as for the files… I could help,” he mused, blue eyes glittering with delight at the idea of getting in good with her father. “It would benefit me more than him,” his lips twisted into a smirk, “and it would be beneficial to have a Sheriff in my pocket.” She shoved against his shoulder with a grin, delighted with his teasing. “I suppose it doesn’t hurt that he’s your father.” he continued on, chuckle rumbling in his chest when she shoved his shoulder again and bubbled with laughter. 

“His mom doesn’t know that he’s a werewolf and he doesn’t know that I’m one either.” which was surprising in itself considering she could  _ smell _ when someone was a werewolf. She, however, was surrounded by werewolves at any point and time, so maybe she was just used to the scent? She was also a hell of a lot more in tune with her animal than Scott was. “It’s going to be a culture shock for him, we should definitely prepare for backlash.”

“What kind?” she was quiet for a moment. Scott would probably be mad at her and mad at Peter - he still saw his current predicament as a curse - one he never wanted Max to experience - and would likely be furious that Peter had bitten him and then his best friend. He wouldn’t do anything too drastic, not with Jeorek in the know and right there, but he could make things a little more emotionally charged than needed to be. Still, Scott was her brother, this could only bring them closer. 

“Scott is still going on about how he just wants to go back to normal. When he finds out that you bit him, and then  _ me _ , he’s probably going to be really accusatory and demanding.” she frowned and faced him completely, soft hands gentle against the fabric of his shirt but searing him through the material. “Let me handle him if he gets too bad.” It was a request even if it didn’t truly sound like one. It was one of the other things he liked so much about her, the way she was an Alpha and a Beta all in the same breath. She challenged him, calmed him, met his witty humor with her own - he had never been more amused and aroused when she had stood so defiantly in front of him, beta blues meeting his alpha red, and  _ demanded _ that he teach her how to fight, how to  _ protect _ . 

She had told him when he had first met her that she wasn’t at her best, even then she was perfect. Now though, now he understood. Max was a naturally happy girl, always humming when she was doing something trivial, always twisting those tempting lips into the wryest of grins or the most breathtaking of smiles. Her humor was dry and it wasn’t, it was mature and so  _ so _ immature, and the way she moved was so graceful so… predatory, and yet she was always tripping or stumbling over the smallest things or nothing at all. She was a walking contradiction that Peter wanted to unravel, he wanted to take her and study her under a lense until he found what made her tick and then he wanted to claim it as his. 

“Alright,” his agreement had her melting back against him, completely surrounded by his legs and arms and his  _ smell _ . She’d always been tactile, always touching Scott or her dad, always trying to bring as much comfort to them as they did to her. With Peter it was the same, but it was different. She didn’t just seek out his comfort, he offered it. She didn’t need to try and feel safe in his arms or reassure herself that she wasn’t alone, she felt it naturally. He was snarky and sassy but never truly treated her like a child - he was never insulting even when he was  _ insulting _ her. 

The first time she had annoyed him he had asked when her bed time was and she had promptly told him to go fuck himself, that not even her own father implemented a bed time.  _ ‘Is this your way of telling me you want to call me daddy?’ _ he had asked, grinning even as his eyes twinkled with mischief. She had promptly laughed, then shivered in disgust and told him he was  _ not _ ruining that word for her. 

He rarely ordered her to do anything - which she was honestly glad about because he had complimented her once by saying  _ ‘Good girl,’ _ and she had practically preened and sprouted a little wolfy tail that would’ve been wagging back and forth like a tornado. He had said it mockingly and then stared at her for a solid minute when she reacted how she had. His smile then was predatory and promising, but he hasn’t said it since.

“What are you thinking about that has you smelling so sweet?” he rumbled. She contemplated telling him the truth, in telling him exactly what she was thinking and would like to happen - she didn’t, mostly because she didn’t actually  _ know _ what she’d like to happen. She still wasn’t sure if these were the feelings of her being his Beta or if they were her genuine feelings. Still, he didn’t smell suspicious, just curious. 

When she remained silent he opened his eyes and peered down at her, interest peaking further at her contemplative yet worried scent. “I want to do something.” his brow raised in curiosity but she said no more. She waited a moment longer before gently pushing against his chest so that he would lay flat against the slight incline of the roof. He repressed his rumble of approval when she crawled over him and placed her weight firmly against his chest and thighs but couldn’t help the way his hands went immediately to her waist -  _ to make sure she doesn’t fall _ , what was left of his morals argued. The air turned electric when she stared at him with a warmth in her eyes that made him swallow thickly, then she leaned forward as if to kiss him. 

He wasn’t going to push her away, not if she was taking the first steps, but he wouldn’t move forward either. 

It was both a disappointment and a relief when she didn’t kiss him and, instead, rubbed her cheek against his scarred one - he hadn’t reverted it for a while and honestly had to keep reminding himself to do so. He knew she didn’t mind his scars - she had even called them attractive - but she had always refrained from touching them. Now he saw that she had done it because she thought it would bring him pain. It did, but not a pain she could take, not a physical pain. 

It… it filled a void in him he hadn’t known was there. It made an  _ ache _ spring in his gut that reminded him just how  _ touch starved _ he had been. Compassionate touches, ones that were soft and meant to soothe and show him just how much he meant to someone, not cold, clinical touches that had him burning with shame and pain. Max was only a few inches shorter than him but he could easily hide her body behind his if needed, such was why he took great pleasure in the fact that she rest her entire weight onto him and  _ clung _ . 

“Oh, darling girl.” He wrapped his arms more firmly around her and held her there, more comfortable than he’d been in a long while. Max sank against him in relief and sighed, letting the tension ease from her body until she was pliant against him. 

“I wasn’t sure if it was something a Beta should do, but I wanted to - I know it’s a little intimate-” a little? “I didn’t want to hurt you, though.” her sigh had him wrapping his arms tighter around her. “What are normal beta instincts? Behaviors? Am I doing too much? Not enough?”

“Every beta is different,” he rumbled after a while, “some want to always protect their alpha, others always want to protect the pack. The two are not always mutually inclusive.” he tried not to think of the way she rumbled against him contentedly when he ran his fingers through her hair. “Your actions are more intimate than what most beta’s feel the urge to do.” she did not stiffen like he suspected she would and, instead, smelled resigned and happy, as if something in her had settled at this truth. “But they are not unwelcome.” he could not help the small grin that curled from his lips. “You act as a pack mother and a female alpha.” pack mother, she guessed, was the werewolf equivalent to a Den mother. “You make a terrific wolf,” 

He rumbled approvingly when she preened at the compliment. He knew she had a bit of a praise kink - ‘a bit’ being a watered down truth of the severity - and found that he liked her reactions when  _ he _ was the one complimenting her. She reacted similar to most people when they praised her but with  _ him _ she always blushed prettily and smelled so  _ sweet _ . It was almost suspicious how perfect she was for him and faintly made him wonder if he was half that perfect for her. If he wasn’t he had every plan to be, starting with the sit down with her father. Max was a pack animal, her father meant the world to her, and if he got Jeorek on his side then Peter was certain she’d grow to accept the inevitability of her becoming his. 

It really was unfair of her to already have him so wound around her deft fingers and be so unaware of the power she held over him. It was really unfair that she could cling to him and mix their scents without realizing how bad it made him  _ want _ . Especially when she clung pitifully to him when he tried to deposit her in bed and whimpered when he finally detached her from him.  _ Revenge first _ , he reminded himself.

Turns out it wasn’t so hard to put his interest in her on the backburner as he thought it would have been, not when he had two new murders - one by paralytic venom and one by an apparent werewolf - and a Beta who took it upon herself to hunt the apparant Omega wolf after the murder not even two days later. It also didn’t help that he found a sick sort of pleasure when he saw her on all fours overtop a seemingly empty grave, snarling at a particularly big headstone a few meters away. She was bleeding from a particularly large gash across her abdomen, but she also had blood coating her hands and claws showing that she had given as good as she got. She was, however, curled over much like a mother would her cub, which led him to hear the fast paced heartbeat of the young man in the grave she was currently protecting. 

This hesitation gave the Omega - who had been hiding behind the large tombstone in lieu to strike - all the window it needed to launch once more in a flurry of brown hair and ragged clothing at Max. Max was beautiful when she curled, tucked, and kicked the Omega off of her and into Peter’s direction just as Derek and Laura joined him before taking her spot back over the grave. It took less than a minute for Peter to realize that the Omega was an alpha, even less to realize that it was feral. Max had given the Omega quite a few good strikes against it’s torso and neck - so much so that Derek could’ve finished off the Omega by himself - and it was just enough for Peter’s plan to actually work now that he had a suitable replacement. 

  
“Don’t kill it,” he ordered his pack,  _ his pack _ , and smiled in satisfied glee when they didn’t even hesitate to do just that. Max, his beautiful Max, understood what he was planning without needing to have him say it aloud and turned her attention to the person she was protecting. 

  
“Hey,” she shifted her facial features once more and stared softly at the boy her age. “We’re going to get you out of here, okay? Somewhere safe, and we’ll explain everything.” 

Isaac Lahey had experienced a lot of awful things in his life, ranging from the abuse his father put him through to the loneliness of highschool and now having watched the murder of his father and his own death. Almost, anyway, Max Stilinski had saved him from the  _ thing _ by turning into something that looked just like what had attacked him. Still, if he had to choose between her and whatever was making the fighting sounds he would take his chances with her. He was easily taller than her and could distract her if he wanted to run away. As it was she was his only meal ticket to living. 

  
“There you go,” she smiled when he grasped her hand and climbed out of the grave just in time to see three adults subduing the thing that had attacked him, one of which had shining blue eyes like Max. “Alright, Laura’s gonna take care of you, okay?” the woman in question rose her head and - with a nod from Peter - made her way over to the two. “She’ll explain everything.” she caught him when he dropped to his knees, knocked out no doubt from the pain and fright he had been experiencing. “Take his pain too, please. If he sees Erica he might be a little calmer.” 

“Meaning he won’t try to run,” Laura confirmed with a nod and cradled the teen in her arms. “You’re staying behind?” 

“Yes, this is all too suspicious but this is a perfect chance to try and pass off this Omega as the Alpha who bit and turned me. It'll give me a chance to see if Kate is staying at his place, and if she is it'll give me a little insight if this omega is her doing. He won’t believe that I took the Alpha down, but when he sees how feral he is and my wounds I’ll be able to pass it off. That’ll put Peter in the clear for his ‘recovery’ and give us a window on what all we can do.” 

“Make sure to explain what he looks like to Erica in case Argent wants to try and dig.” Peter told Derek as he dragged the knocked out Omega nearer to Max. “This doesn’t sit well with me, Max, this feels as if it were set up. With Kate,” he exhaled, willing himself to calm down from the fury that was mounting in his veins. “If anyone  _ but _ Chris Argent shows up I want to you  _ run _ , Max, do you hear me? If she's at his place you're _going_ to leave, I don't care how, that is an order.” 

“Yes, Alpha.” she ripped the tombstone from the ground when he tossed the omega in and dropped it into the hole, aiming for its chest, so that it was suitably weighed down. The gash across her stomach was deep but thankfully wouldn’t have her intestines dropping, as it was it just healed slowly and was painful as fuck. Now that she wasn’t worried about protecting anyone or fighting anyone she could feel claw marks on her thigh and another, larger gash on her back from where the Omega had clawed her back. “So, wounds from an Alpha heal slower?” 

“Yes,” Peter agreed as he crouched in front of her, “You’re lucky you didn’t die, Max.” he gripped her chin with his thumb and pointer finger, heated gaze meeting her vulnerable one. “I hope you know this is cause for punishment.” her blush was gorgeous, as was the way she raised her head defiantly, unashamed of her actions.

“I’ll be good,” his smile was wicked and promised so many dark things that should’ve screamed bad touch to her but didn’t. “Go on, alpha mine.” she rumbled happily when he rubbed his cheek against hers and departed, scenting her and taking some of the pain so she could think a little clearer for the next steps. “Ali?” calling her had been a conscious decision on her part, she couldn’t risk Kate being around Chris when her number rang. “Ali is your dad around?”

_ “Dad? Max are you okay? You don’t sound okay so don’t you dare lie to me.”  _ a door closed and then the phone was put on speaker. 

“The Omega found me, he’s feral and I’ve got him trapped but I’m not sure how long. I’m in the cemetery right off of Johnson rd.” panicked cursing and shuffling as the two got dressed. 

_ “Allison you’re not going.” _

_ “The hell I’m not. I can help Max while you deal with it.”  _

“Guys, the only thing keeping this guy down in a tombstone,” and she was growing tired. They heard it even if she hadn’t finished it. Max had sounded like she was in pain, almost like she was sick, and now that Allison knew it was because of another werewolf she was almost  _ certain _ that she was injured. “It freaking chased me all the way from school to here.” that’s where she had caught sight of the fucking thing, anyway.

_ “Alright, alright we’re on our way.”  _ it took them exactly one hour to get to her and when they got to her she was dropping the tombstone back down on the healing Omega and knocking it back out again, huffing as it reopened the wounds that were healing. 

“Max!” Allison slid beside her, shaking hands gently touching against her bloody and shredded top. “Oh my god, oh my god Dad, Dad she’s-” 

“I’m okay,” Max soothed, holding her friends hands so she didn’t touch the blood any longer. “I guess wounds from an Alpha heal slower.” she sighed and glanced to Chris as he stared down into the grave, gun poised incase the thing moved. “I just dropped it back on his back, so I’m pretty sure I broke his spine.” 

“How did you beat it?” his gaze didn’t leave the Omega and his tone didn’t sound suspicious, only his scent gave way to his true feelings. 

“He got distracted by that guy-” she motioned to the bloody cockpit of the digger a few yards away, “gave me the chance to get his lung. Did  _ not _ like that, tackled me, broke his neck, tossed the tombstone on him, called you.” he still smelled skeptical but didn’t voice it, most likely because Allison was there. 

“They can heal from a broken neck?” Max nodded and tried not to grin at Allison’s slightly horrified expression. 

“Gotta be the brain or the heart, or wound ‘em enough.” she really didn’t want to get up from the ground, everything was starting to numb up and she knew that if she moved again she’d feel the pain all over. “Or wolfsbane, that’ll do the trick too.” she sighed and concentrated on the way Chris was eyeing the grave, as if trying to figure out how he would get the Omega out of it. With a pained groan she slid back into the grave with one foot on the back of the Alpha’s neck and  _ tossed _ the tombstone back up and out of the grave, cursing all the while. “ _ Fuck _ .”

“You’re lucky to be alive,” Chris appraised as he slid into the grave beside her, pulling out his wolfsbane laced kevlar wire to wrap around the Omega’s limbs. “Not many betas can take on an Alpha and survive.” 

“Yeah? I got lucky,” she grimaced when she heard another vehicle pull up with several booted footsteps approaching their area. “If he hadn’t broken his neck then I would’ve died right in this grave-” she stopped and looked around as if just realizing that it was a  _ grave _ . “Wow, that’s morbid as fuck.” 

“Mr. Argent, Sir?” a familiar face popped up from the ground, staring down at the two with a frown. One of the hunters when Chris had first grabbed her, one of the ones who had - thankfully - seemed to be swayed to believe her.

“We got our rouge Alpha.” with a grimace Max grabbed the back of the Omega’s neck and slowly, painfully, climbed out of the grave, dragging him with her all the way. His hunters descended onto the Omega the moment he was flat on the ground, grimacing at the blood and caved in sections of flesh of his back. Chris, however, was staring at the beta who was offering him her bloody hand, claw free. When she thought he would deny her help - his scent was sour with indecision and confusion - they locked arms and he let her haul him out of the grave. 

“Max, you’re bleeding  _ a lot _ .” it was probably because Allison and Chris were at ease with her that the other hunters weren’t trying to take her too. That didn’t mean they weren’t suspicious or hateful towards her. 

“Sir, are we taking the Blue in as well?” blue being her, because of her eyes. Max really hated people sometimes. 

“No, she hasn’t broken our code and helped us to secure the Alpha.” she could hear the mumbles of why they thought she had done that, also the few that suggested she had killed the human and her Alpha had tried to stop her. That current of blame was broken off when the Omega snarled and tried to worm his way directly to Allison, only for Max to crouch in front of her, shift, and  _ snarl _ at the Omega. Chris’s bullet unloading into its skull stopped any further franticism, it also had Allison freezing in horror behind Max as she watched her first murder. It didn’t matter, Max couldn’t do anything else other than sink into the cold ground and sigh tiredly, ignoring the whimper from Allison as she huddled into her fathers chest. She was safe, now Max just had to take a nap, just a little nappy nap because she was tired and tired Max did stupid things like research if knotting was a thing werewolves could do - in fanfiction they could but in lore not so much. 

Anyway, she was taking a nappy nap because her inner monologue was going off in tangents. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO, what do you think? Updates will be slower - I'm sorry about that - but I'm looking to trying to fix it. 
> 
> Papa Stilinski is in the know, but WHAT is he going to do?
> 
> Erica speaks fluent asshole, it's canon. 
> 
> Laura and Derek join the pack! Laura has no desire to be an Alpha, or even the potential of BEING an alpha. This was a decision on my part because it doesn't actually seem like she was given much of a choice when she was younger. With her being a Beta I feel like so many more doors are open to her, and that's what I'm going to stick with. 
> 
> ROGUE ALPHA SUDDENLY APPEARS! Who's responsible? Who's the Kanima being used - it's not Erica - and why!? 
> 
> tell me your thoughts! What are your theories?!


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